New owners Christa Strydom and her family are giving the store a complete transformation, with a revamped layout, new products, a distinctive wine offering and plans for Blaauwklippen coffee.
There is a lot more happening at KWIKSPAR Somerset West at Lion’s Square than a simple change of ownership.
When I visited the store and spoke to new owner Christa Strydom, renovation work was already well underway. The old layout is being stripped back and redesigned, with new equipment and features planned throughout the store.
Christa and her family took over on 1 March 2026, bringing with them 12 years of experience in the KWIKSPAR business. The family still owns KWIKSPAR Paul Roos in Stellenbosch, which they have successfully operated for about 12 years, but Somerset West is now the latest project for the family.
For Christa, the move has also meant a dramatic reduction in her daily commute.
“My husband moved here from the first of March, and then I came over the first of May,” she explained. “Every morning I drive an hour in traffic to Stellenbosch, so it feels like I’m retiring.”
The work taking place at Lion’s Square, however, is anything but retirement.
A completely new store
Christa’s plans for the store are extensive.
The till area is being completely redesigned and opened up, while the equipment and other features throughout the shop are being replaced. One of the problems with the previous layout, she explained, was that it could feel cramped.
“We want a brand new shop,” she said.
Her benchmark is the family’s Stellenbosch store.
“I don’t know if you know, KWIKSPAR Paul Roos is the best KWIKSPAR in the country, and this one must be better. That’s our benchmark.”
There will also be a much stronger focus on products that are not readily available elsewhere in Somerset West.
“We’re bringing a lot of new exotic products in that is not available other places in Somerset West,” Christa said.
Wine will have a bigger presence
Wine is one of the areas where Christa’s experience in Stellenbosch will become particularly apparent.
The wine section inside the store will remain, but it is being redesigned to create more of a wine-cellar feel. It will still cater for the customer who simply wants to pick up a bottle for home, while Christa also wants to bring in wines that offer something a little different.
The more specialised and expensive wines will be available through the store’s TOPS at SPAR at Lion’s Square, across the parking lot.
Christa has strong relationships with winemakers and others in the South African wine industry, and those relationships are already beginning to make their way into Somerset West.
The store recently hosted Abrie Beeslaar, described as one of the world’s most celebrated winemakers and a multiple International Winemaker of the Year.
“I know a lot of winemakers, a lot of people in the wine industry,” Christa said.
For her, the ambition is bigger than simply having a good wine selection.
“It must be a wine destination.”
A Somerset West wine route
That idea extends beyond the store.
Christa is also working with a local counterpart on plans to establish a Somerset West wine route, with wine farms being approached to come on board.
The project is still being developed, but the intention is to create stronger links between Somerset West and the wine farms around the area.
“I want to create a wine destination here as well,” Christa said.
From Babylonstoren coffee to Blaauwklippen coffee
Christa has also brought another idea from the Paul Roos store to Somerset West.
She explained that KWIKSPAR Paul Roos was the first store to stock Babylonstoren coffee, before the product became well known. Now she wants to do something similar with Blaauwklippen coffee, with the Somerset West store again being the first to bring it to customers.
It is another example of Christa looking beyond the usual supermarket offering and finding products with a strong Winelands connection that customers may not otherwise encounter in a supermarket.
The opening is getting closer
The renovation is expected to be ready in time for the soft launch on 24 September 2026, Heritage Day. Christa said the informal launch will include specials and a few fun touches, including a “pop a balloon” element.
The official opening is planned for 8 October 2026, with customers at the centre of the occasion, alongside suppliers, wine farms and other guests.
For now, the renovation continues, and it is still possible to see the old store giving way to the new one. After speaking to Christa, I am looking forward to coming back when the work is finished and seeing how her plans have translated into the space.
There is a lot happening at Lion’s Square, and and by October, Somerset West will be able to walk through the doors and see the result for itself.
UPDATE
The store renovation has since been completed. Read more here.
