This "Woolworths" supermarket, located on the corner of Tukapa Street and Wallath Road, opened in July 1982 on land previously owned by the well-known horticultural firm, Duncan & Davies.
The architects were Walker Co-Partnership of Auckland and the consulting engineers were R.J. Wass Partners. It was built by Hawkins Construction Limited.
The supermarket was located at the southern end of the complex and the northern part was designed as a plant centre. Davies Retail Ltd, as the plant centre was known, was a subsidiary of Duncan & Davies. It opened in May 1965 and it was the first time in New Zealand that a complete selection of plants were available to shoppers for immediate inspection. It was designed by well-known New Plymouth architect, Edgar T. Collins.
Westown Woolworths closed on 24 May 2011 when Progressive Enterprises opened a new Countdown supermarket in Spotswood. Progressive Enterprises held on to their lease of the building until July 2012, preventing the new owners, Foodstuffs (New World), from redeveloping the site.
It was reported in October 2015 that Foodstuffs had decided not to build the planned supermarket and the property was sold to undisclosed buyers.
In August 2016 two new businesses opened in the old supermarket building - Lola Hair Studio and The Store. 'Locals' cafe opened later in the year in the right-hand half of the building. A childcare centre has been built on land between the café and the Wallath Road entrance to the site. A residential subdivision(named Market Lane) was developed on land behind the old supermarket
In May 2021 a petrol station, branded 'npd", opened on the corner of Tukapa Street and Wallath Road on what had previously been car parking spaces.
Related documents:
Store site tension mounts (Taranaki Daily News 2 June 2011)
Supermarket redevelopment (Midweek 15 August 2012)
End to supermarket battles welcomed (Taranaki Daily News 16 August 2012)
Resident annoyed with weedy mess (Taranaki Daily News 14 January 2013)
Controversial former supermarket site sold (Taranaki Daily News 5 October 2015)
Shops planned for old supermarket site (Taranaki Daily News 13 November 2015)
Superette, cafe, retail and residential plans for site (Taranaki Daily News 4 May 2016)
Fresh start for old site (Taranaki Daily News 10 August 2016)
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