Sportscraft and Sportsgirl to open in renovated Orange City Centre

Sportscraft, an Australian brand which sells both men's and women's clothing, has submitted a development application to Orange City Council to fit out one of the front tenancies facing Summer Street.

It will also feature an entrance off the internal arcade.

Women's clothing store Sportsgirl and sportswear chain Rockwear will also open, while Tarocash is set to move from Orange Central Square across the road and Noni B will reopen.

Novia Massage and Beauty will fill one of the internal tenancies, with the fitout including seven treatment areas and a reception area.

Meanwhile, Leaf Cafe & Co is set to fill the kiosk space vacated by People Cafe outside Big W on August 21.

Leaf Cafe & Co will provide seating for 72 people, serving modern Australian food and coffee.

A spokeswoman for the company said it had been searching for an Orange location for a year.

"We were hoping to open regionally, should the opportunity be the right fit for us," she said.

"While there were others, such as Dubbo and Central Coast, our research showed Orange had the demand and population for a cafe like ours."

She said Orange City Centre was chosen due to its central location, plus access to major streets, parking and Woolworths.

She hoped to start fitout on October 1, opening on November 12, employing 10 people.

Ten of the 15 businesses to lodge DAs have not operated in Orange before.

Council economic development committee chair and councillor Tony Mileto said despite sadness after the closure of Myer, Orange was attracting both businesses and shoppers.

"According to our latest Spendmapp data, it's true that during the last financial year Orange residents spent $20.6 million shopping in Bathurst," he said.

"But then in the same period it turns out that residents of Bathurst came here and spent $29.08 million in Orange."

He said the situation was similar in relation to Dubbo, with Orange residents spending $8.4 million in Dubbo and Dubbo residents spending $11.8 million shopping in Orange.

"This list of new shops ready to open in Orange shines the light on the reality that business managers and investors have done their own research and they believe Orange is a great place to do business."

Sportscraft parent company APG & Co did not respond to requests for comment, while Novia could not be reached.