Westfield Chermside
Encyclopedia
Westfield Chermside is the largest shopping centre in Queensland
, located in Brisbane
's inner northern suburbs, the second-largest in Australia, behind Chadstone Shopping Centre
in Melbourne, and is operated by the Westfield Group. Entertainment facilities include an Event Cinemas
16-screen cinema complex and a 26 lane Hyperbowl Bowling Centre
. The centre contains the Chermside bus station
, a major hub for buses north of Brisbane.
Westfield Chermside's trade area population is 439,600; one of the largest markets for shopping centres in Australia, and its 16.4 million customer visits per annum makes it Australia's 7th busiest Westfield shopping centre. The centre is located on the corner of Gympie Road
and Hamilton Road.
, David Jones
and Harris Scarfe
department stores, Kmart
, Target
and Big W
discount department stores, Coles
and Woolworths supermarkets, a JB HiFi electrical store, and 369 speciality stores, cafes, restaurants and other services, which are all on the first floor. The second floor is only partial to the shopping centre and includes a Rebel Sport.
. Police were needed to keep an estimated 15,000 shoppers who had queued to secure bargains. It was marketed as the first suburban-style, post-war shopping precinct in the southern hemisphere. The shopping centre was air-conditioned and had a modern design. It initially contained an Allan & Stark department store, a Brisbane Cash & Carry supermarket, 24 speciality stores, parking for 650 cars and covered 28 acres. Porters were available to carry purchased items to shopper's cars.
Allan & Stark became Myer in 1959 when the latter company purchased the former. In 1965, the centre was air-conditioned and a restaurant was constructed. The original building that housed Myer was razed and a larger three level replacement building was opened in June 1977. Several renovations were completed in 1985, 1986 and 1987 adding another 29 stores and an underground car park to the centre. A business mall was constructed in February 1992.
The Westfield Group purchased the property from Coles-Myer in December 1996. In 1999, work began on a major redevelopment of the centre which was to nearly double its floor space. The redevelopment resulted in most of the existing structure being demolished, save for the Myer store and some pieces of adjoining mall, to make way for the larger complex. Stage one opened on August 9, which contained a Coles and a new bus interchange
. In 2000, the second stage of the redevelopment opened, containing a Kmart, Bi-Lo (which existed until March 2008), Target and a 900 seat food court
. A new Birch Carroll & Coyle
cinema complex also opened, which took many customers away from the one then at Westfield Toombul
.
In 2005, construction began on another expansion, which officially opened on October 19, 2006 and contained 2,300 more car parks, and over 100 new specialty stores. In August 2007, the two level David Jones
store was officially opened and is located in the same expansion. The following year saw the opening of another department store on the site of the former Bi-Lo
supermarket, however smaller, which is the first Harris Scarfe
store in Brisbane. In late 2009, an Apple Store opened in the centre.
In 2011, Westfield Chermside introduced a new 'Park Assist' system to help shoppers find available car parks quicker. At the same time the centre also introduced a pay parking scheme designed to stop commuters parking vehicles at the centre. Parking under three hours remains free and entry after 6 pm will be free as well.
Despite all its major successes during its ownership by Westfield, the centre has been blamed for the downturn in trade in surrounding shopping centres, especially Centro Toombul
. In the case of Toombul, the ex-Westfield centre's trade has been affected during the 21st century, which has resulted in the closure of its Birch Carroll & Coyle cinemas, and of several other retailers.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, located in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
's inner northern suburbs, the second-largest in Australia, behind Chadstone Shopping Centre
Chadstone Shopping Centre
Chadstone Shopping Centre is a super regional shopping centre located in the inner south-eastern suburb of Malvern East in the city of Melbourne, Australia...
in Melbourne, and is operated by the Westfield Group. Entertainment facilities include an Event Cinemas
Greater Union
Greater Union, Birch Carroll and Coyle, Event Cinemas, Skycity Cinemas and Damodar Village Cinemas together form a chain of cinema multiplexes across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji...
16-screen cinema complex and a 26 lane Hyperbowl Bowling Centre
AMF Bowling Center
AMF Bowling Centers, Inc. is the world's largest owner and operator of bowling centers, employing more than 10,000 people. The centers offer multi-lane Ten-pin bowling for all ages, support league play, and local events such as Dollar Mania and Late Night College Fest as well as Xtreme Bowling...
. The centre contains the Chermside bus station
Chermside Bus Station, Brisbane
The Chermside Bus Station, at Chermside, is serviced by TransLink bus routes. It is part of the Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre. It is in a transition precinct between Zone 3 and Zone 4 of the TransLink integrated public transport system....
, a major hub for buses north of Brisbane.
Westfield Chermside's trade area population is 439,600; one of the largest markets for shopping centres in Australia, and its 16.4 million customer visits per annum makes it Australia's 7th busiest Westfield shopping centre. The centre is located on the corner of Gympie Road
Gympie Road, Brisbane
Gympie Road is a major road in the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The road forms part of the main road route from the Brisbane Central Business District to the northern suburbs, Sunshine Coast and east coast of Queensland....
and Hamilton Road.
Major stores
The centre includes 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...
, David Jones
David Jones Limited
David Jones Limited , colloquially known as DJs, is a high-end Australian department store chain.David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh immigrant, and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. It...
and Harris Scarfe
Harris Scarfe
Harris Scarfe Department Stores was founded in Adelaide, South Australia in 1849. At its peak, Adelaide was home to several major South Australian department stores , of which Harris Scarfe is the sole...
department stores, Kmart
Kmart Australia
Kmart 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...
, Target
Target (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...
and Big W
Big W
Big W is one of the largest chain of discount department stores in Australia, with over 150 stores. It is a division of Woolworths Limited, the second largest retailer in Australia. Its main competitors are Kmart and Target, both owned by Wesfarmers....
discount department stores, Coles
Coles Supermarkets
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 stores nationally Coles Supermarkets is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers. It has 741...
and Woolworths supermarkets, a JB HiFi electrical store, and 369 speciality stores, cafes, restaurants and other services, which are all on the first floor. The second floor is only partial to the shopping centre and includes a Rebel Sport.
History
Chermside Drive-In Shopping Centre (Now Westfield Chermside) was opened on 31 May 1957 by the then Premier of Queensland Vince GairVince Gair
Vincent Clare "Vince" Gair was an Australian politician. He served as Premier of Queensland from 1952 until 1957, when his stormy relations with the trade union movement saw him expelled from the Australian Labor Party. He was elected to the Australian Senate and led the Democratic Labor Party...
. Police were needed to keep an estimated 15,000 shoppers who had queued to secure bargains. It was marketed as the first suburban-style, post-war shopping precinct in the southern hemisphere. The shopping centre was air-conditioned and had a modern design. It initially contained an Allan & Stark department store, a Brisbane Cash & Carry supermarket, 24 speciality stores, parking for 650 cars and covered 28 acres. Porters were available to carry purchased items to shopper's cars.
Allan & Stark became Myer in 1959 when the latter company purchased the former. In 1965, the centre was air-conditioned and a restaurant was constructed. The original building that housed Myer was razed and a larger three level replacement building was opened in June 1977. Several renovations were completed in 1985, 1986 and 1987 adding another 29 stores and an underground car park to the centre. A business mall was constructed in February 1992.
The Westfield Group purchased the property from Coles-Myer in December 1996. In 1999, work began on a major redevelopment of the centre which was to nearly double its floor space. The redevelopment resulted in most of the existing structure being demolished, save for the Myer store and some pieces of adjoining mall, to make way for the larger complex. Stage one opened on August 9, which contained a Coles and a new bus interchange
Chermside Bus Station, Brisbane
The Chermside Bus Station, at Chermside, is serviced by TransLink bus routes. It is part of the Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre. It is in a transition precinct between Zone 3 and Zone 4 of the TransLink integrated public transport system....
. In 2000, the second stage of the redevelopment opened, containing a Kmart, Bi-Lo (which existed until March 2008), Target and a 900 seat food court
Food court
A food court is generally an indoor plaza or common area within a facility that is contiguous with the counters of multiple food vendors and provides a common area for self-serve dining. Food courts may be found in shopping malls and airports, and in various regions may be a standalone development...
. A new Birch Carroll & Coyle
Greater Union
Greater Union, Birch Carroll and Coyle, Event Cinemas, Skycity Cinemas and Damodar Village Cinemas together form a chain of cinema multiplexes across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji...
cinema complex also opened, which took many customers away from the one then at Westfield Toombul
Centro Toombul
Centro Toombul is a regional shopping centre located in the locality of Toombul which is part of Nundah, a suburb of the city of Brisbane in the state of Queensland, Australia. The centre is currently anchored by a Kmart discount department store, Coles supermarket, BI-LO supermarket and Aldi Food...
.
In 2005, construction began on another expansion, which officially opened on October 19, 2006 and contained 2,300 more car parks, and over 100 new specialty stores. In August 2007, the two level David Jones
David Jones Limited
David Jones Limited , colloquially known as DJs, is a high-end Australian department store chain.David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh immigrant, and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. It...
store was officially opened and is located in the same expansion. The following year saw the opening of another department store on the site of the former Bi-Lo
BI-LO (Australia)
BI-LO is an Australian supermarket chain owned by Wesfarmers . Once a chain of 180 outlets, most BI-LO supermarkets were re-branded as Coles Supermarkets during 2006 and 2007. In October 2008, Coles stated it was looking to create a new chain to replace the remaining BI-LO stores...
supermarket, however smaller, which is the first Harris Scarfe
Harris Scarfe
Harris Scarfe Department Stores was founded in Adelaide, South Australia in 1849. At its peak, Adelaide was home to several major South Australian department stores , of which Harris Scarfe is the sole...
store in Brisbane. In late 2009, an Apple Store opened in the centre.
In 2011, Westfield Chermside introduced a new 'Park Assist' system to help shoppers find available car parks quicker. At the same time the centre also introduced a pay parking scheme designed to stop commuters parking vehicles at the centre. Parking under three hours remains free and entry after 6 pm will be free as well.
Despite all its major successes during its ownership by Westfield, the centre has been blamed for the downturn in trade in surrounding shopping centres, especially Centro Toombul
Centro Toombul
Centro Toombul is a regional shopping centre located in the locality of Toombul which is part of Nundah, a suburb of the city of Brisbane in the state of Queensland, Australia. The centre is currently anchored by a Kmart discount department store, Coles supermarket, BI-LO supermarket and Aldi Food...
. In the case of Toombul, the ex-Westfield centre's trade has been affected during the 21st century, which has resulted in the closure of its Birch Carroll & Coyle cinemas, and of several other retailers.