By Bianca Capazorio

In an early step in the opening of Port Elizabeth‘s newest shopping centre, the Game organisation has announced it is moving its Western Suburb‘s Metlife Plaza store to new premises in Walmer, where it will be headed by an almost all-female team.

The Metlife Plaza store will close on October 21 and reopen at the 17th Quarter shopping complex in 17th Avenue, Walmer, on October 31 when that centre opens its doors for the first time.

“Our research has shown that Game Greenacres and our new Walmer store will best serve the needs of Port Elizabeth shoppers and we look forward to welcoming loyal Metlife Plaza customers at these stores,” said Game managing director Jan Potgieter.

All of the staff from Metlife Plaza will move across to the new 2 970m² store which will employ 70 permanent staff and 87 flexi-time employees.

Most of the new store‘s management team are women, headed by store manager Stephanie van Zyl who has been with the group for 10 years.

The group also includes merchandise manager Marge Logiotis, admin manager Kaylene Rhodes, distribution manager Hillary Blignaut, floor manager Ushana Smith, deputy admin manager Rika Booyens, checkout manager Dianne Stuurman and credit manager Wendy Caroulus.

The new centre will serve the communities of Walmer, Summerstrand, Lorraine, Theescombe, Kamma Park and beyond.

Metlife Plaza centre manager Joleen Beling said that while no final decision had been made as to what would be done with the open space left by Game, it had been decided that the space would be divided up into smaller sections, catering for around three big tenants and making space for new toilets and facilities.

The Herald