Kelly Bertrand – someone who rather likes to shop even when she shouldn’t – checks out Mānawa Bay and delivers her review.
If there’s something I know how to do, it’s shop.
Call it a talent, call it a skill, call it a calling, but I can rip through money like Australia goes through prime ministers. There’s no bigger high for me that snagging a bargain, finding the perfect little piece and swiping a little magic card that lets me take it home.
I’m also the most decisive person in the world. I know what I like, I know what works on me, I know what I can pull off. Putting it simply, I’m the PERFECT person to call up if you ever win one of those ‘grab as much stuff and put it in the trolley in five minutes’ prizes because darls, I’ll bag you some absolute gems.
So imagine me loose in an exclusive after-hours tour of New Zealand’s newest premium outlet mall, Mānawa Bay. If I’m honest, I didn’t know what to expect – ‘outlet mall’ conjures up images of mounds of unwanted clothes that you have to sift and dive through to find what you’re looking for – the worst parts of a Boxing Day sale, but all the time.
Mānawa Bay is anything but that. In fact, it’s fancier than your normal mall – and for one of the first times in my life, I found myself actually being able to afford pieces from the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Swarovski.
So, what’s Mānawa Bay like?
Ok – here are the Mānawa Bay stats:
Firstly, it’s HUGE – almost 100 shops, 1400 car parks. It’s three kilometres from the airport, making it a great stop if you’re running early for a flight, or you’re waiting for a connection.
More than 20 of the shops are firsts for New Zealand – Ariat, Hoka, Guess and Lindt, which has the honour of having the longest queues all opening weekend thanks to its famous hot chocolates and build-it-yourself chocolate boxes.
Along with fancy designer shops like Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger and Kate Spade, our favourite high street stores have their outlets there too such as Witchery, Country Road, Decjuba, Max, Flo and Frankie, Assembly Label and Glassons.
There’s also a dedicated sportswear precinct that has been WILDLY popular with shoppers (God, we are a casual people aren’t we) including brands such as Lorna Jane, Nike (a HUGE Nike store) Puma, Under Armour and heaps more.
And when you’re knackered from the shopping there’s a food court that is refreshingly sans fast food chains – St Pierres is the closest you get – that’s equipped with power points for phone charging, those little bag hooks under the tables (it’s the little things amirite). Plus, there’s a gorgeous outdoor seating area with big tables and a playground for the kids (and a gorgeous view out to the mangroves for the adults). It’s worth noting Mānawa Bay is super kid-friendly – wide spaces between stores, parent rooms and of course, said playground.
Being so close to the airport – a four-minute drive – there is of course luggage storage.
Is it worth going to Mānawa Bay?
IMHO, if you like a bargain like I do then hell yes, toddle on down. I picked up a mini haul at Tommy Hilfiger for 50% off – a shirt, pair of slides and a cap – and I was shocked at the discounts across the board. I got my shopping high and THEN my bargain high, and then an actual sugar high because I did stop by the Lindt store on the way out.
It’s a figure-eight layout so you might get a bit discombobulated your first time around, but you’ll soon figure out where everything is, and it’s a pleasure to walk around anyway – even when the centre was rammed, there’s still space.
Plus, the mall’s green credentials are out of this world – they have a five-star green star design rating, a huge solar system that actually gives back to the grid, and the whole centre, including the food court, has a zero-gas policy. I do love to feel smug when I shop.
Bottom line, if you’re a shopping fiend like me but you’ve been slightly *curtailed* thanks to this bloody economic climate, then this is the mecca for you.