Ganellen, one of NSW's largest privately owned construction companies, invests in community based neighbourhood shopping centres, with Kiama the latest to benefit from its expertise.

Ganellen Investments director Richard Manning said the business directors originated from top-tier companies such as Multiplex and Lend Lease and were currently building for companies such as Woolworths, Australand, Multiplex and the state government.

"Off the success of the construction business, we invest specifically in convenience and food-based neighbourhood shopping centres. Buildings are a product that we know well and we can use our expertise to add value with time.

"We buy properties that have a strong demographic and good catchment, and Kiama has both these.

"The Kiama centre is trading well and has a great mix of businesses and has a strong community and good council - we have already met with council and want to create a strong relationship with them as well," he said.

"Our objective is to create relationships with our tenants and keep that strong, as it's very much a community centre with a community feel, so if we have plans, it's only to improve what's here from a convenience and community perspective."

To keep the Kiama feel of the centre, long-time employee Allyson Wolhuter was retained as administrative assistant.

"Allyson has been with the centre for more than eight years and knows the tenants well and it is important to have a local face people know running the day-to-day operations of the centre," new centre manager Jason Zagni said.