Geraldton Jeanswest safe and new car wash on track

Some things stay the same while others are changing, as a popular clothing store avoids closure and a new business pops up in the Northgate Shopping Centre precinct. Geraldton’s Jeanswest outlet will not be part of current nationwide store closures, according to administrators. Australian retailer Jeanswest appointed KPMG as administrators on January 15, with KPMG later announcing 37 stores would close nationwide and 263 employees would be made redundant. KPMG spokeswoman Marjorie Johnston said six of the company’s 23 WA stores would soon close, but Geraldton’s was not among them. Ms Johnston would not comment further on the Geraldton store and directed the Geraldton Guardian to a KPMG statement, which said the closures and redundancies were to give Jeanswest the best chance to continue. The Geraldton outlet has operated for more than two decades at Northgate Shopping Centre. Consumer Protection has advised shoppers to use Jeanswest gift cards while they still can. “Administrators can change the terms and conditions of the gift cards which, in the past, has meant some customers must make further purchases in-store before they can redeem the value of the gift card,” a statement read. Jeanswest opened its first store in Perth in 1972, which was followed by a quick expansion across Australia and New Zealand before being bought by Hong Kong firm Glorious Sun in 1994. WA stores set to close are at Carousel, Bunbury, Karrinyup, Mandurah, Mirrabooka and Rockingham. Northgate car wash A new hand car wash and 27 new car-parking bays will open soon at Northgate Shopping Centre, on a site left vacant since 2013 when Han’s Cafe closed. A spokeswoman for Lendlease, which manages Northgate, said construction was expected to be completed by the end of this week. She said the service would give customers the opportunity to have their vehicles professionally cleaned while they shopped. A spokeswoman for Concierge Car Wash said it was expected to open for business at the end of February and would hire four to six local staff. Mid West Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Joanne Fabling welcomed the move.