GRIFFITH Central employs about 10 to 15 staff members directly, working under manager Cheryl Wood.

That staff is mostly employed in centre management, cleaning and security, and nearly all have worked there for five to 10 years.

“It’s pretty stable and it has gone so fast,” Mrs Wood said.

“I can’t believe we have all been here this long. There is a sense of ownership in the centre, the staff feel like it’s their centre.

“There’s a sense of pride. They’ve built it up and we all work together well. We’re pretty lucky to have that.”

With 34 permanent retailers and a waiting list of potential tenants, the future of the centre is bright, but Mrs Wood said it should not be taken for granted.

“In a market like Griffith, you need everyone, every week to be shopping (in town),” she said. “Retail is always evolving. The challenges in 2017 are different to 2007. You couldn’t foresee how retail would change.”

Customer service needs to be the primary focus for retailers now.

“People have access to everything, whatever they want,” Mrs Wood said.

“Retailers need to focus on what they can do for every single customer when they’re with them, now.

“People are drawn to the experience, the whole shopping experience, from the minute they walk in the door until they walk out, hopefully with something in their hand.”

Griffith Central has been lucky to have had consistent sales increases over its 10 years. “Our sales are consistently growing and our customer numbers are increasing,” Mrs Wood said.