Lowes Petroleum has unveiled a new retail concept store, The Local Hub, marking a shift from traditional fuel services to a broader retail offering aimed at regional communities.
The concept, developed in partnership with retail design consultancy ACRD, was first launched at the company’s Lauderdale service station near Hobart, Tasmania. Designed to be more than a service station, The Local Hub offers food services, exclusive products, parcel collection, and gas bottle exchange.
Sharon White, Head of Sales and Marketing at Lowes Petroleum, said there’s not a day that goes past when one of the team in Lauderdale are not complimented on the store fit out by customers.
“It was one thing to be confident of the look in development, but to step inside and see it all come together was amazing.”
The initiative aims to support regional centres by offering services not commonly available in smaller towns, while also driving customer traffic and loyalty.
“A well-stocked retail store attracts more customers, some visiting not just to refuel their vehicle but stock up for a long trip.
“We’re creating a hub where people can get together: whether they come for coffee, the food, to collect parcels or even exchange or fill a gas bottle.”
The store design is intended to be flexible and scalable, with standardised features that can be rolled out across sites of varying sizes, whether branded as BP or under Lowes Petroleum’s own LPS identity.
“Retail offers flexibility and adaptability. We needed to create an offering that was nimble enough to be scaled up or scaled down depending on the site size and location.”
Following the success of the Lauderdale site, the next The Local Hub stores are scheduled to open at BP Armidale and BP Gunnedah in New South Wales in the coming months.
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