Supermarkets and Retail

The fact you can even go in is bizzare to us down here in Melbs.

3 Likes

At least they’ve got plenty of toilet paper.
That’s one bonus in the current lockdown.

1 Like

Even though some departments are chained off, can you still buy items from the shelf if you can touch them? (I am referring to the fifth photo, at the outdoor goods department)

1 Like

No, they have a list of items/departments you can buy from at the entry to the store. They do not allow you to purchase anything that is not deemed “essential.” Click n Collect only for everything else.

4 Likes

I wonder what Big W’s trading volumes are like between those lockdown LGA NSW stores and the click and collect only Victorian stores.

Looks extremely empty from those photos - similar queues to the ones I’ve had getting click and collects at my local one.

1 Like

Can only speak of the store I work at in VIC - we’re beating last years lockdown sales numbers, which is amazing. Not always making the daily budget… for some reason Thursday-Sunday is still budgeted as though it’s regular trade. While there have been a few cutbacks as would be expected in these times, I’m surprised that we have as many people as we still do (eg: last year it was common to have just 9 staff on some days… we currently still have 40-50 team members every day).

A few of the stores in NSW were completely closed not too long ago when they extended the LGA’s that were locked down. Some reverted to click and collect only, a few stores converted to “digital sales only” stores (ala K-Mart and Brandon Park in Vic last year… not to be confused with the standard online/c&c operation).

I miss not being able to go in and browse + purchase in store, I know I can click and collect/order online… but hesitant to do so (similar to last year I rarely did it as I don’t want a delivery driver dropping off potential covid germs… weird logic I know :P). At least I’m saving money.

4 Likes

My local Reject Shop is set to out their Christmas stock in the next week or so. I was speaking with one the employees and mentioned that stock arrived earlier this week. Pallets and pallets of stock.

1 Like

Our Big W in Yeppoon never has that many people in it, surprised it can stay trading.

2 Likes
2 Likes

my local Big W has halloween stuff first

Big blow in Perth CBD, with Carillon City announcing that all tenants not facing Hay or Murray St have 28 days to move out.

Absolutely disgraceful.

Dexus purchased Carillon for $140 million in 2014 with plans to redevelop the site to include a Hoyts cinema, those plans have stalled as a result of the economic downturn then the pandemic.

Bit shocked by this, given there’s still decent traffic through the malls.

Carillon City is the result of a merger of the Carillon and City arcades back in the 90’s.

2 Likes

Honestly not unexpected when they’ve not renewed leases for a few years now. All the national brands left the arcade last year and what’s remaining is largely one-off specialties that either are on long leases or waiting for the inevitable. It would be costing a lot of money to maintain thoroughfares that have maybe 1 or 2 shops, if any at the most.

Do agree they need a bit of a kick to commit to a timeframe for redevelopment considering the consequence of abandoning a pedestrian arcade of that size until further notice.

Feels like all the hard work to upgrade the city from 2007 to 2018 has been undone in recent years.

People think Perth CBD is bad now, it was worse in the early 2000’s in some areas.

1 Like

A victim of too much redevelopment going on at one time and therefore a massive increase in the amount of retail space in the CBD when even without the pandemic, there’s been a decrease of weekday foot traffic and weekend foot traffic has not improved despite various initiatives (free 3hr parking in CPP car parks for example).

I suspect Dexus has looked at what has happened with Forest Chase, where they’ve only managed to get to around 60% occupancy post-redevelopment and Raine Square, where despite a significant reconfiguration of the space is nonetheless still struggling with rumours that Coles will not renew its lease.

Oh definitely, into the Mid 2000’s it felt like no changes had been made since the Late 80’s and it was pretty rundown. Hopefully the current economic conditions will allow for the empty plots at City Link and EQ to finally be built up which you would hope would bring more people living / working in the CBD and contribute to these struggling spaces getting redeveloped / sorted out.

2 Likes

What are they planning to do?

Board up / shut down the entrances to the arcade until whenever they demolish it at a date later to be determined prior to redevelopment.

1 Like

Oh I see.

Looks like the Target Centre in Melbourne has been officially rebranded:

6 Likes

A new $1.5 billion dollar plan as been unveiled for South Yarra’s Jam Factory. If approved the project is set to be completed for 2025.

4 Likes