Burger Urge shuts down original location in New Farm

Queensland's original gourmet burger restaurant has shut its doors in Brisbane’s inner-north after 11 years, relocating to regional New South Wales with staff included.

POPULAR Brisbane restaurant chain Burger Urge has closed their original location in New Farm after 11 years on Brunswick St.

Alarmed customers took to social media this morning to share images of a sign posted outside the hole-in-the-wall restaurant announcing the shop had relocated to Dubbo, effective immediately.

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Burger Urge co-owner Sean Carthew has explained that although the decision to close the business’ original site had been brewing for months, it was not an easy call to make.

“We’d been questioning the viability of the Brunswick Street site for around 18 months now,” Carthew said.

“The store was never a high-volume, high-performer for us, but there was sentimental value there as the first store I’d opened with my brother back in 2007.”

The brothers launched what they believe was Queensland’s first gourmet burger bar at the Brunswick Street location in June, 2007.

Burger Urge has since expanded to 27 restaurants nationwide with plans to launch a further six through the course of 2019.

Challenges to the shop, including competition from copycat restaurants and new shopping districts like Newstead’s Gasworks and Bowen Hills’ King Street, had been drawing customers away.

Burger Urge has abandoned their original New Farm location. Picture: Reddit

The recent closures of neighbouring burger joints Grill’d, Nando’s and DA’Burger, the latter of which reopened in February, presented a strong downwards trend to owners that signified it was time to bid the street farewell.

Carthew says the brand opted against posting news of the move to social media because regular customers had already been informed internally weeks in advance.

“We didn’t pack up and abandon ship in the middle of the night,” Carthew said.

“We’ve retained all of our staff, and some from Brunswick Street have actually moved to Dubbo to help establish the new shop.”

The brothers, who grew up in the suburb, have maintained their business headquarters in New Farm and say they are open to relaunching there if the right site becomes available.

“Brunswick Street itself is getting stagnant — I’m sure it will eventually rejuvenate, and when it does, we’ll look in to starting again.

“Until then, I’d encourage all of our loyal customers to find us at any of our 18 Queensland locations or the six we’re opening this year.

“The burgers aren’t going anywhere, I promise you that.”