The transformation of Brisbane's 'Uptown' shopping centre–what happened after Myer's exit?
Ah, the dreaded cost of living crisis. It's eating away at us like a creeping disease, and it looks like it's also taking its toll on our beloved shopping centres.
Take Brisbane's 'Uptown' shopping mall, for example. Once the proud home of the flagship Myer store, one of Australia's oldest and most iconic brands, it has been left a barren wasteland since Myer's departure.
As the Courier Mail reported, only a small number of tired tradies and workers were found in the once bustling food court, and Country Road, Lincraft and Portmans were struggling to draw in the sort of large crowds usually seen in comparable shopping centres like Carindale or Chermside.
Gone were Myer's signs and the ever-present crowds. Even the buildings had emptied, the shelves littered with almost poetically symbolic reminders of Myer's reign over the area.
‘Uptown’, formerly known as the Myer Centre, is a shadow of its former self.
So why did Myer up and leave?
Well, it turns out that talks between the store and its landlord happened in March, leading Myer chief executive John King to express his disappointment over the deal.
'While we remain committed to the Brisbane market, we have been unable to negotiate a reasonable commercial outcome with the landlord and as such will continue to look for an alternative CBD (Central Business District) location,' he said.
This was a crushing blow to Brisbane's retail community, as the store had been a fixture in the city since 1988. In its three-plus decade tenure, it had served as a symbol of the city and a reminder of its past–and now, without warning, it had been taken away.
It also sent people into a tizz over who, if anyone, would be the lucky tenant to take up residence in the Queen St Mall.
Rumours persisted that Griffith University was looking to take up residence there and turn it into a brand-new campus.
The rumours were soon put to rest by the university, though, as it released a statement clarifying that the Myer Centre ('Uptown') was not one of the shortlisted options for a new campus.
Unsurprisingly, Myer's sudden departure comes amid Aussies struggling with the high cost of living.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), overall household spending was up 3.3 per cent in May compared to last year, with service-category spending seeing an overall increase of 7.2 per cent.
Sadly, goods spending suffered a drop of 0.9 per cent, with the only increase noticed in the food sector (5.8 per cent). This was primarily due to the May Consumer Price Index report, which found that food prices had increased by 7.9 per cent.
This increase in food costs has forced many Aussies to reconsider their diet, with the demand for red meat, protein bars and shakes all seeing a decrease.
The disappearance of Myer from the iconic shopping centre has genuinely been a sad thing to witness, and it only serves to heighten our awareness of how our communities, particularly in the retail world, can change so quickly.
Have you been to any shopping centres recently, dear members? What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments!
Take Brisbane's 'Uptown' shopping mall, for example. Once the proud home of the flagship Myer store, one of Australia's oldest and most iconic brands, it has been left a barren wasteland since Myer's departure.
Gone were Myer's signs and the ever-present crowds. Even the buildings had emptied, the shelves littered with almost poetically symbolic reminders of Myer's reign over the area.
‘Uptown’, formerly known as the Myer Centre, is a shadow of its former self.
So why did Myer up and leave?
Well, it turns out that talks between the store and its landlord happened in March, leading Myer chief executive John King to express his disappointment over the deal.
'While we remain committed to the Brisbane market, we have been unable to negotiate a reasonable commercial outcome with the landlord and as such will continue to look for an alternative CBD (Central Business District) location,' he said.
This was a crushing blow to Brisbane's retail community, as the store had been a fixture in the city since 1988. In its three-plus decade tenure, it had served as a symbol of the city and a reminder of its past–and now, without warning, it had been taken away.
It also sent people into a tizz over who, if anyone, would be the lucky tenant to take up residence in the Queen St Mall.
Rumours persisted that Griffith University was looking to take up residence there and turn it into a brand-new campus.
The rumours were soon put to rest by the university, though, as it released a statement clarifying that the Myer Centre ('Uptown') was not one of the shortlisted options for a new campus.
Unsurprisingly, Myer's sudden departure comes amid Aussies struggling with the high cost of living.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), overall household spending was up 3.3 per cent in May compared to last year, with service-category spending seeing an overall increase of 7.2 per cent.
Sadly, goods spending suffered a drop of 0.9 per cent, with the only increase noticed in the food sector (5.8 per cent). This was primarily due to the May Consumer Price Index report, which found that food prices had increased by 7.9 per cent.
This increase in food costs has forced many Aussies to reconsider their diet, with the demand for red meat, protein bars and shakes all seeing a decrease.
The disappearance of Myer from the iconic shopping centre has genuinely been a sad thing to witness, and it only serves to heighten our awareness of how our communities, particularly in the retail world, can change so quickly.
Key Takeaways
- Brisbane’s ‘Uptown’ shopping centre, formerly known as the Myer Centre, is experiencing a drastic drop in foot traffic following the departure of flagship store Myer.
- Despite a robust marketing campaign, the usually busy stores within the centre, such as Country Road, Lincraft and Portmans, struggle to attract customers.
- Talks between the store and its landlord happened in March, leading Myer chief executive John King to say they will ‘look for an alternative CBD (Central Business District) location’.
- According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Australian household spending increased by 3.3 per cent in May compared to 2022, with service-category spending increasing by 7.2 per cent.
Have you been to any shopping centres recently, dear members? What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments!
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