Greensborough Plaza
Encyclopedia
Greensborough Plaza is a major regional shopping centre, located in Greensborough, Victoria
in the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia
.
, Venture
, Jewel Food Barn
, Franklins No Frills
and World 4 Kids.
store, the first new store for the chain to open within Victoria in over twenty years.
In 1998, both Harvey Norman
and Rebel Sport both commenced operations at the centre. Both stores were designed as new larger concept stores which had never been tried by either retailer before.
, as a Target Home concept store. Costing A$5 million (1997), the conversion was scheduled for completion by February 1998.
The store was converted after months of evaluation and market research, on account that the store was not satisfying consumer needs. According to research undertaken by the Centre and Coles Myer
at the time, customers were preferring to go to larger Myer outlets in the neighbouring suburbs of Northland and Doncaster. Analysis also suggested that a Target outlet at the centre was more preferred by the centre's target market, and would boost visitors to the centre by 6%. The Greensborough Plaza location was the first Target store to be rolled out as part of the Target Home concept.
The change cause some significant controversy amongst retailers in the centre, who complained that they had rented in the centre on the key basis of Myer being an anchor tenant. Some in the centre had even considered taking legal action against then centre managers Lend Lease, particularly in light of what they felt were inflated rent prices based on the stores presence in the centre.
The situation between tenants and the centre managers continued to escalate, until a merchant group was formed in March 1998 to represent affected retailers in discussions with Lend Lease. One long-time tenant of the shopping centre claimed that his rent had increased by 110% since the naming of Myer as a new anchor tenant in 1995.
The Myer store eventually closed its doors on 17 May 1998, with Target opening in its place later the same year.
and then later Lend Lease subsidiary MLC Limited
. Unlisted Lend Lease managed trust, the Australian Prime Property Fund was the other joint owner during this period. During both these owners, the centre was managed by Lend Lease.
In 2000, MLC sold its stake in Greensborough to SAS Trustee Corporation (State Super), in a deal said to be valued at around A$80 million (1999).
In 2005, the centre was owned by SAS Trustee Corporation and Australian Prime Property Fund. On 26 May 2005, Australian Prime Property Fund completed the purchase of SAS's 50% share in the centre for A$160 million (2005), giving it full ownership of the centre.
outlets (one exterior stand-alone restaurant and one interior food court outlet), a Red Rooster
, Nando's
, one Wendy's outlet, one Donut King
and a KFC
.
New Retailers
Transport
Greensborough Plaza provides parking for around 2700 vehicles and is serviced by trains, 10 bus routes and taxis.
Parking
Adjoining the Plaza is a seven-level multideck carpark (six levels undercover), accessible via The Circuit. An additional three levels of parking are located above the Target store. Parking at Greensborough Plaza is free, however a 3 hour limit applies on most parking levels. Some 90 minute outdoor parking, catering for supermarket only shoppers, is available near the entrances to the Coles supermarket.
Public transport
Greensborough Plaza is directly serviced by SmartBus
route 902 as well as 7 regular bus routes (513, 517, 518, 520, 562, 563, 566), with bus stops located outside the main plaza entrance on Main Street. A taxi rank is also located adjacent to the bus stops on Main Street. The stop for bus route 293 can be reached by a 200 metre walk north east from the plaza along Main Street. Greensborough railway station is located nearby and is a 500 metre walk east from the plaza to the station. SmartBus route 901 stops outside the station.
External links
Greensborough, Victoria
Greensborough is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule. At the 2006 Census, Greensborough had a population of 20,214....
in the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Early days
First opening in 1978, the centre was known simply as Greensborough Shopping Centre. Around 1990, the centre was known as Valley Central, and the current Greensborough Plaza name was introduced in 1995. Former major tenants in the centre over the years have included: Stan Cash, McEwansBunnings Warehouse
Bunnings Warehouse is Australia's largest hardware chain with stores in Australia and New Zealand. The chain is owned by Wesfarmers Limited.-History:-Pre 1900s:...
, Venture
Venture (department store)
Venture was a chain of discount department stores operating across Australia. It was developed by South Australian department store John Martins and was first opened in 1970. The chain grew to cover much of the country...
, Jewel Food Barn
Jewel Food Stores (Australia)
Jewel Food Stores was a discount supermarket chain in Australia that is now defunct. The chain was originally owned and operated by the Fleming family. They are not related to the American supermarket chain "Jewel" now owned by Supervalu....
, Franklins No Frills
Franklins
Franklins is a discount supermarket chain selling packaged groceries and perishables throughout New South Wales, Australia. It owns the No Frills brand of generic products, promoted by their mascot, "Red Sock". It is known as "Australia's Original Discount Grocer"...
and World 4 Kids.
Redevelopments
The shopping centre has undergone two major renovations in its lifetime. The first of these renovations took place in 1990, and the second in 1996 which included the addition of a new 13,000m² MyerMyer
Myer is Australia's largest department store chain, retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's, men's and children's clothing, footwear and accessories; cosmetics and fragrance; homewares; electrical; furniture and bedding; toys; books and stationery; food and confectionery; and...
store, the first new store for the chain to open within Victoria in over twenty years.
In 1998, both Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman is a large Australian-based retailer of electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. It is effectively a franchise and the main brand owned by Harvey Norman Holdings Limited...
and Rebel Sport both commenced operations at the centre. Both stores were designed as new larger concept stores which had never been tried by either retailer before.
Myer controversy
In September 1997, it was announced that the Myer department store was to be converted into an outlet for TargetTarget (Australia)
Target Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian department store chain owned by Wesfarmers . It operates 172 Target stores and 119 Target Country stores making 291 combined stores with its head office located in North Geelong, Victoria. It sells clothing, cosmetics, toys, homewares, electrical and...
, as a Target Home concept store. Costing A$5 million (1997), the conversion was scheduled for completion by February 1998.
The store was converted after months of evaluation and market research, on account that the store was not satisfying consumer needs. According to research undertaken by the Centre and Coles Myer
Coles Group
Coles Group Limited was an Australian public company that operated numerous retail chains. It was Australia's second-largest retailer, behind Woolworths Limited...
at the time, customers were preferring to go to larger Myer outlets in the neighbouring suburbs of Northland and Doncaster. Analysis also suggested that a Target outlet at the centre was more preferred by the centre's target market, and would boost visitors to the centre by 6%. The Greensborough Plaza location was the first Target store to be rolled out as part of the Target Home concept.
The change cause some significant controversy amongst retailers in the centre, who complained that they had rented in the centre on the key basis of Myer being an anchor tenant. Some in the centre had even considered taking legal action against then centre managers Lend Lease, particularly in light of what they felt were inflated rent prices based on the stores presence in the centre.
The situation between tenants and the centre managers continued to escalate, until a merchant group was formed in March 1998 to represent affected retailers in discussions with Lend Lease. One long-time tenant of the shopping centre claimed that his rent had increased by 110% since the naming of Myer as a new anchor tenant in 1995.
The Myer store eventually closed its doors on 17 May 1998, with Target opening in its place later the same year.
Ownership
During the 1990s, the centre was part owned by both General Property TrustGeneral Property Trust
General Property Trust Limited , trading as GPT Group, is an Australian company that is a property investor and manager in Australia, Europe and the United States...
and then later Lend Lease subsidiary MLC Limited
MLC
-Technology:*Multi-level cell, a type of flash memory*Multi-Platform Language for Calculators*Multileaf collimator, a tool used for shaping radiation beams in external-beam radiotherapy.*Mobile Location Center, a network element in GSM Telephony Networks...
. Unlisted Lend Lease managed trust, the Australian Prime Property Fund was the other joint owner during this period. During both these owners, the centre was managed by Lend Lease.
In 2000, MLC sold its stake in Greensborough to SAS Trustee Corporation (State Super), in a deal said to be valued at around A$80 million (1999).
In 2005, the centre was owned by SAS Trustee Corporation and Australian Prime Property Fund. On 26 May 2005, Australian Prime Property Fund completed the purchase of SAS's 50% share in the centre for A$160 million (2005), giving it full ownership of the centre.
Major anchors
The following major anchors operate within the centre:- KmartKmart AustraliaKmart Australia Limited is a discount department store chain owned by Wesfarmers. It operates 172 stores in Australia and 15 in New Zealand, with its head office located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Wesfarmers uses the Kmart name under licence from Sears Holdings Corporation.-History:Kmart Australia...
discount department store. - ColesColes SupermarketsColes Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
supermarket - AldiALDIALDI Einkauf GmbH & Co. oHG, doing business as ', short for "Albrecht Discount", is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany...
supermarket - Rebel Sport sporting goods store.
- HoytsHoytsThe Hoyts Group is an Australian company consisting of Hoyts Exhibition, Hoyts Distribution and Val Morgan.Hoyts Exhibition manages 450 screens across 40 Australian and 10 New Zealand cinema complexes; making it Australia's second largest cinema chain. Val Morgan, the cinema advertising arm of the...
8 screen cinema multiplex. - TargetTarget (Australia)Target Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian department store chain owned by Wesfarmers . It operates 172 Target stores and 119 Target Country stores making 291 combined stores with its head office located in North Geelong, Victoria. It sells clothing, cosmetics, toys, homewares, electrical and...
discount department store with attached 'Target Home' store. - Harvey NormanHarvey NormanHarvey Norman is a large Australian-based retailer of electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. It is effectively a franchise and the main brand owned by Harvey Norman Holdings Limited...
electrical and computer store. - JB Hi-FiJB Hi-FiJB Hi-Fi is an Australian CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc, video game and consumer electronics chain store.-History:JB Hi-Fi was established in Melbourne suburb of Keilor East by John Barbuto in 1974...
electronics and music store.
Minor anchors
The following minor anchors operate within the centre:- Dick Smith electrical and computer store.
- The Reject ShopThe Reject ShopThe Reject Shop is an Australian discount variety store chain. Founded in 1981 as a "seconds" store in South Yarra, Victoria, the company currently operates over 190 stores in Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Western Australia, Queensland, Tasmania and Australian Capital Territory...
discount variety store. - PricelinePriceline (Australia)Priceline is a health and beauty retailer with stores in every state and territory in Australia. The Priceline brand has two store types; a traditional Priceline and Priceline Pharmacy. As of March 2010 there were over 330 Priceline branded stores throughout Australia...
health and beauty store.
Major food restaurants
Major food retailers within the centre include two McDonald'sMcDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
outlets (one exterior stand-alone restaurant and one interior food court outlet), a Red Rooster
Red Rooster
Red Rooster is an Australian fast food restaurant chain. Red Rooster specialises in selling roasted chicken and other related products.- History :...
, Nando's
Nando's
Nando's is a casual dining restaurant group originating from South Africa with a Portuguese/Mozambican theme. Founded in 1987, Nando's operates in thirty countries on five continents....
, one Wendy's outlet, one Donut King
Donut King
Donut King is Australia's biggest doughnut franchise, based in Southport, Queensland.-History:The Donut King chain was founded in 1981 in Sydney, and is currently managed, under license, by the Southport-based Retail Food Group Limited...
and a KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
.
New Retailers
In July 2011,
JB Hifi and Aldi had opened. Aldi and JB Hifi both being major anchors.
Coles will be undergoing refurbishment and two new lifts have been installed replacing the old slow once which have now been demolished
TransportGreensborough Plaza provides parking for around 2700 vehicles and is serviced by trains, 10 bus routes and taxis.
Parking
Adjoining the Plaza is a seven-level multideck carpark (six levels undercover), accessible via The Circuit. An additional three levels of parking are located above the Target store. Parking at Greensborough Plaza is free, however a 3 hour limit applies on most parking levels. Some 90 minute outdoor parking, catering for supermarket only shoppers, is available near the entrances to the Coles supermarket.
Public transport
Greensborough Plaza is directly serviced by SmartBus
SmartBus
SmartBus is a series of bus routes operating in the city of Melbourne, Australia. Undertaken as a part of Metlink, the program seeks to eventually establish a series of key suburban bus routes, and orbital bus routes around Melbourne...
route 902 as well as 7 regular bus routes (513, 517, 518, 520, 562, 563, 566), with bus stops located outside the main plaza entrance on Main Street. A taxi rank is also located adjacent to the bus stops on Main Street. The stop for bus route 293 can be reached by a 200 metre walk north east from the plaza along Main Street. Greensborough railway station is located nearby and is a 500 metre walk east from the plaza to the station. SmartBus route 901 stops outside the station.
External links