Stage three of Orana Mall's $30 million redevelopment will get under way on Monday with another 25 retail stores due to be added to the shopping centre by late 2015.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The centre will be extended out from the Reject Shop entrance into the carpark, adding 50 per cent more specialty shops once it has been completed.
Orana Mall centre manager Cherie Forrester said the final stage of the three-year project would ensure Dubbo's shoppers had one of the best facilities in Australia.
"There will be approximately 25 new stores. It can be anywhere between 20 and 28 depending on what tenants want so there is flexibility there," she said.
"That section should be completed in the last quarter of 2015 and it will provide Dubbo with a leading shopping centre."
Ms Forrester said there had been "strong interest" from potential tenants.
"Retail is a continuously evolving environment but we are certainly very happy with the interest we have received so far," she said.
"After we completed stage two, we started to focus on Christmas and that period but now that is out of the way, we want to jump straight back into stage three."
Stage one of the redevelopment began in 2013 and involved the construction of a second-storey carpark, new entry for the west end entrance and expanded retail space. Stage two saw the installation of ramps for the upper carpark, an elevator and travelators, dramatically expanding the centre's parking.
The carparks have now been completed and the main focus of stage three is the extension of the retail section.
The future is looking brighter as a whole for Dubbo, according to Ms Forrester.
"There is the big development with that aged care facility going in on Sheraton Road which will be a major boost for the city and I think 2015 is going to be a very exciting year,'' she said.
Part of the reason for her optimism is the economic outlook for next year.
After some testing times for retailers there are signs consumer confidence is returning and Ms Forrester said Christmas was a very positive time.
"Christmas was fantastic and the Saturday after Christmas was great,'' she said.
We are getting to the time where it traditionally quietens down a bit and that is why we want to get started on the redevelopments," she said.
"Easter will be another busy period for us and we will have all our works completed before we get to Christmas 2015."
Ms Forrester said like most customers, she was amazed by the change the mall has undergone in the last few years.