Mitre 10 (New Zealand)

Mitre 10 is a New Zealand chain of home improvement stores established in June 1974. The company sells a range of household hardware, building supplies, heaters, air conditioners, garden products, barbecues and camping gear.[1]

Mitre 10 New Zealand Limited
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail and trade building supplies
FoundedJune 1974; 50 years ago (1974-06)
Headquarters
Auckland, New Zealand
Number of locations
84
Area served
New Zealand
Key people
Andrea Scown (CEO)

Mark Conelly (CFO)

Peter Muggleston (CDO)
Products
Websitewww.mitre10.co.nz

There are 84 Mitre 10 member stores around New Zealand, including 19 in Auckland. Together, the members employ more than 8000 staff.[1][2]

History

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Mitre 10 was started in Melbourne, Australia in 1959 as a local co-operative, with the initial 8 independent operators pooling their resources for shared advertising and promotion.[3] Separate state-based companies were formed in the years following. An overall licensing company was established in 1964.[4]

The co-operative concept became known to New Zealand hardware shop owners,[5] and on 28 June 1974 the New Zealand Herald reported "some of the smaller firms in the timber and hardware merchandising field are grouping together to present a unified buying and selling front." The first member's meeting in 1974 consisted of twelve members representing fifteen stores.[citation needed]

In the late 1980s the chain expanded its to include home and garden products. In 1994 the "Mitre 10 Home and Trade" brand was established. Two brand names (Hammer Hardware, Mitre 10 Mega) further expanded the Mitre 10 presence in both the small and large towns and cities. There were 50 Mitre 10 stores in 1999,[6] 113 in 2003 and 83 in 2019.[7][6]

In 2010 Mitre 10 (New Zealand) Limited took full ownership of the Mitre 10 brands for New Zealand after changes to the ownership of the Mitre 10 operation in Australia.[8][9] Despite sharing the same heritage, the modern operations in New Zealand and Australia are separate.

Sponsorships

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Mitre 10 was formerly involved in the production of Mitre 10 Dream Home, a reality television series which ran from 1999 until 2013.

From 2016 to 2020, Mitre 10 became the sponsor of the National Provincial Championship, which became colloquially known as the Mitre 10 Cup.

In partnership with Kiwibank, the company annually runs the Mitre 10 Awards to acknowledge and support community projects.[10]

MEGA Stores

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Mitre 10 MEGA store in Hornby

Mitre 10 Mega is a chain of big-box stores. Mega stores offer customers a larger product range than standard Mitre 10 stores, including a larger range of garden related products.[11] The first Mega store opened in Hastings Central in 2004.[12]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Mitre 10". mitre10.co.nz. Mitre 10.
  2. ^ "Levin store wins big at national Mitre 10 Awards". NZ Herald. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Mitre10" Archived 4 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Superbrands Australia
  4. ^ "About us", Mitre 10 Australia
  5. ^ "...many success stories about Mitre 10 Australia and the cooperative philosophy...", MEGA Hastings & Napier
  6. ^ a b "Then as Now". Marketplace Media. Hardware Journal. 18 December 2019.
  7. ^ Bingham, Eugene (24 October 2003). "Retailers jostle for the DIY dollar". Wilson & Horton. New Zealand Herald.
  8. ^ "Mitre 10 New Zealand Secures Brand Ownership". scoop.co.nz.
  9. ^ "NZ Mitre 10 responds to sale of Australian counterpart", 2 December 2009, NBR
  10. ^ "Mitre 10 Community of the Year". Mitre 10. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  11. ^ "About Mitre 10 MEGA", "[1]", Retrieved 30 May 2011
  12. ^ Bradley, Grant (5 January 2008). "Battle of the giant hardware barns". APN News & Media. New Zealand Herald.
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