Nico welcomes uMhlanga to family shopping experience

A BRIGHT smile and great customer service awaits shoppers at the Lighthouse Mall Pick n Pay as the family store’s manager, Nico Willemse, welcomes local residents to his store.

Pick n Pay Lighthouse officially opened its doors on 17 October when the Willemse family, coincidentally also the owners of the mall, decided to open the store when the Chekers’ lease expired.

The Willemse family, comprising of Nico, his father, two brothers and his sister, have years’ experience in the industry. The family also owns two Pick n Pay Family Stores in Newcastle and one in Vryheid.

The family business started when Nico’s father, Tollie, bought Newcastle’s Kings Hotel back in 1973. From day one it was a big family project, with all the children helping with the business during school holidays. Recently, the opportunity arose for Nico to move to uMhlanga with his family to open a new Pick ‘n Pay in the Lighthouse Mall.

“I knew it was the right decision to make. I had been managing the Hutten Heights store for 14 years. I’d seen the store develop from Rite Valu to becoming a Pick n Pay Mini Market to expanding to a Pick ‘n Pay Family Store and I’m proud to have been a part of that. If I was ever going to take another big challenge and accept another business venture, this was it!”

With one of Nico’s children currently schooling in Pietermaritzburg and another boarding in Durban, the decision to leave their beloved Newcastle was made easier knowing they would be closer to them and not spending every weekend on the road visiting.

“uMhlanga is a lovely place to move to, the climate is great and there are so many opportunities.”

With Nico excited about the new challenges facing him, one thing he carries with pride is his family work ethic.

“uMhlanga deserves a decent Pick n Pay, which they now have. We have a wide range of products suitable for all our customers. We have everything from a sushi bar, a deli and a bakery, bringing you the freshest goods as well as top notch products. Our Pick n Pay Liquors also offers uMhlanga residents a wide variety of liquor,” Nico added.