Smiths City Group officially opens two new stores in Auckland, underscoring its confidence that a trusted national furniture and appliance retailer offering a great customer experience can thrive in the face of strong online competition. The opening of a store in Wairau Park on the North Shore and another on the Mount Wellington Highway is the culmination of a drive by Smiths City to capitalise on the strong long-term growth opportunities it sees in the upper North Island. The Auckland stores, and another recently opened in Whangarei, were part of the Furniture City chain, which Smiths City acquired last year. Their refurbishment and rebranding under Smiths City's new `live better' format follows the opening of new stores in Taupo and Hastings.