Bunnings is gearing up for the grand opening of its latest store, a colossal five-storey structure set to debut next week, marking a significant milestone as the largest Bunnings Warehouse in Australia.

Located in Frenchs Forest, this unique Bunnings will stand out as the only one in the nation featuring five levels, with three dedicated to retail space and two to a spacious car park.

Store manager Paul Burgess shared insights into the scale of the new location, noting, “It’s 101 aisles, and it’s taken me a little time to learn where everything is.”

The retail behemoth is not only expanding in size but also in offerings. The new store will host an in-store tile shop alongside a newly designed trade floor, showcasing Bunnings’ commitment to enhancing the shopping experience.

In response to local community concerns, Bunnings has taken proactive measures by installing traffic lights and opting for smaller signage, ensuring a seamless integration into the neighborhood.

Retail experts have warned that with bigger stores comes even more dominance for Bunnings.

“They have reached the upper limits of DIY hardware and trade. They’re now going for other categories, which is a bad thing for small local businesses because it will absorb that into its big box,” University of Sydney retail academic researcher Lisa Asher said.

“It’s an additional 120 new team members to the business. We have 15-year-olds starting their first job, an (82-year-old) working in the hardware department,” Burgess said.

The store is set to open on Monday, and the barbecues are ready.