The partnership between Pick n Pay franchise co-owners Gary Williams and Julian Hobson 10 years ago at their store in Fish Hoek, Cape Town, has culminated in job creation of 90 new jobs at their new premises in Simon’s Town.

Williams opened the Harbour Bay Simon’s Town franchise store with staff and customers at the newly completed Harbour Bay Shopping Centre in Simon’s Town on 14 June 2018.

“We are enormously excited about the new store and look forward to welcoming and servicing the Simon’s Town community with pride,” he said.

The shopping centre forms part of a billion rand investment, which will form part of a residential development and Day Hospital.

Apart from offering customers a range of fresh produce, the 1 800m2 store will include a gourmet butchery counter complete with a dedicated butcher, who is ready to deliver on Pick n Pay’s “Butcher’s Promise” and proudly assist customers with an informative service and great-tasting quality meat.

The store also includes a sushi bar.

Williams said the new Pick n Pay store had created 90 jobs in total.

He said this consisted of 60 new jobs at the new mall. Thirty staff were transferred from the Pick n Pay Fish Hoek franchise store to the Simon’s Town store. The vacated 30 positions at the Pick n Pay Fish Hoek franchise were then filled with new staff.

“In total this project has created 90 new jobs and 30 growth opportunities, all from the surrounding areas,” said Williams.

He said before the shopping centre was built the nearest Pick n Pay store was in Fish Hoek.

“We thought that we would bring a good store closer to the Simon’s Town community. I think the centre itself is going to be something that the community will appreciate and will make use of I’m sure,” he said.

Williams added that the shopping centre was sorely needed in the area and was certain will be well supported.

“What we want to do is to get this store off the ground properly and we want to add another 50 jobs to the 90 we already have. That will mean that our tills are ringing and we can grow our business. My father likes to say ‘Never say never because never is a long time’, so we will wait and see what happens in the future,” he said.

Williams added that from a franchise perspective the Simon’s Town store is Pick n Pay’s 41st store in the Western Cape.

– BUSINESS REPORT