Woolies 'worth the wait' for Dalyellup

Thousands of people gathered at the new Dalyellup Shopping Centre last Tuesday night to witness Woolworths' doors roll open for the first time.

Approximately 2000 people went through the store's checkouts during the 6pm to 9pm grand opening.

Store manager Steve Griffin said the Dalyellup community was thankful the store was finally open.

"It was a really great opening, both for the business and for the community," he said.

"No-one likes to wait and the people out here have been waiting eight years for this."

The store's first customers also enjoyed a 10 per cent discount throughout the opening night.

"Speaking to customers on the night, they were all just rapt and people took advantage of the discount," Mr Griffin said.

The 4200sq m supermarket is the headline tenant of the new centre, with the other 16 specialty stores yet to open.

Mr Griffin said the Dalyellup store was bigger than other Woolworths in the region, with more self-checkout counters and the original 17 aisles reduced to allow for 15 wider aisles.

Capel shire president Murray Scott helped officially open the store and said the turnout of people proved how much the store was needed in Dalyellup.

"Hopefully this is the start of the community coming together and the shop is a hub for people to go," he said.

"I was really amazed how big it was and how much room there was."

Dalyellup resident Natasha Thompson was among the crowd and said she had waited five years for the supermarket.

"It's so good that we'll probably stay living in Dalyellup a bit longer now," she said.

"We were travelling to Bunbury Forum for our shopping but this is much more convenient."

The supermarket will take advantage of newly-approved extended trading hours within the shire and open daily until 9pm.

"No-one likes to wait and the people out here have been waiting eight years for this" - Steve Griffin