A groundbreaking addition to the Bunnings Warehouse family is set to open next week in Frenchs Forest. This new location will be the largest in Australia, uniquely spanning five storeys.

The innovative design includes three levels dedicated to retail and two floors reserved for parking, making it the only Bunnings in the country with such a structure.

“With 101 aisles, it’s been a challenge to familiarize myself with the layout,” shared store manager Paul Burgess.

This retail behemoth has upped the ante by incorporating an in-store tile shop and a newly designed trade floor, promising an enhanced shopping experience.

In response to local community feedback, Bunnings has made efforts to ease traffic concerns by installing traffic lights and scaling down the size of its signage.

However, retail analysts caution that this expansion may further cement Bunnings’ dominant position in the market.

“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.