Outdoor adventure retailer Anaconda will officially open its new Frankston store in the Frankston Power Centre at 8am on Saturday, 18 October 2008.

Frankston store manager Craig Wallace said 50 staff had been recruited from the local area, many of whom had a background in outdoor and camping retailing.

The new store, to be located in the Frankston Power Centre, 111 Cranbourne Road, Frankston, occupies 3000sqm and will offer over 35,000 products for camping, fishing, climbing, cycling and kayaking from such famous brands as The North Face, Columbia, Coleman, Spinifex, Mojiko, Merrell, Garmin, Fluid Bikes, Edelrid and Denali.

Anaconda currently has 12 stores – two in NSW, four in Queensland, two in Victoria, two in WA, one in SA and one in Tasmania with expansion plans throughout Australia in the near future.

Anaconda was founded in November 2004 by Toby Darvall, after selling his share in a camping and army surplus wholesale business he co-founded 13 years previously. He had formerly been a business reporter at Melbourne’s popular daily, The Age.

The concept behind the stores is based on Anaconda’s belief that Australians want to be entertained and have fun while they are shopping.

Equipment such as climbing gear, tents, gas lanterns and stoves can all be tested in-store. Climbing pinnacles for indoor rock climbing are also in all Anaconda stores to give customers the feel of the ‘real experience’.

For customers who haven’t decided to invest in the equipment and want to trial it first, Anaconda not only sells products but also rents a range of them out.