Mackay businesses that opened, closed in 2021 | Full list
We take a look back at Mackay Whitsunday stores that opened or closed during the year that was 2021. Check out the full list.
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It would seem 2021 presented the silver lining on the Covid-19 cloud with far more new businesses than shutdowns when compared to 2020.
We reviewed the past 12 months to collate the most notable examples of businesses that thrived and those that dived in the year that was.
THRIVED: Burrito Bar, Northern Beaches
Drive-through ribs and high-quality ingredients were the keys to success for Mackay’s newest Mexican restaurant.
Burrito Bar officially opened in November with the drive-through service only the second of its kind in the fast food chain.
THRIVED: Snap Fitness, Caneland Central
The biggest Snap Fitness gym in Australia officially opened at Caneland Central shopping centre on December 15.
The 2500sq m gym featured a Reformers pilates Studio, more than 50 group fitness classes each week, 24/7 virtual classes, an infra-red sauna and childminding services.
DIVED: Snap Fitness, North Mackay
In with the new and out with the old, the original Snap Fitness Mackay gym near the Mater Hospital in North Mackay closed for good on Saturday, December 11.
DIVED: Kool Temptations Cafe, Mackay CBD
The owners of the bubble tea cafe said it was with a “heavy heart” they shut the CBD cafe in May.
But Kool Temptations did continue with a mobile food trailer, with dates and locations advertised on the business’ Facebook page.
THRIVED: The Little Ice Cream Shoppe, Sarina
The boutique ice cream shop discovered the formula to running a successful business by selling high-quality products not sold anywhere else.
Manager Janet Latham said they sold soft scoops of 24 varieties of gluten-free ice cream on top of the “big hit” waffles and hot dogs.
THRIVED: Onwards and Upwards Drone Services
Onwards and Upwards specialises in aerial video and photography for roof and solar panel inspections, insurance claims and 2D and 3D mapping of crops.
Located in Mirani, it services the Mackay and Pioneer Valley region.
DIVED: Pioneer Valley Cafe
The owners of the Anzac Ave cafe in Marian were set to sell their business in 2021.
However, the sale was not processed, and the lease expired on the existing owners.
There has not been a new lease from any prospective business owners, with furniture and equipment cleared out.
THRIVED: Three Little Birds Eatery, Mirani
Formerly the Pioneer Valley Diner, the new owners renamed the joint the Three Little Birds Eatery and set themselves apart with pizza nights, fresh homemade pies and in-house smoked meats.
Co-owner Tamae Austin said their goal was to provide customers with a unique dining experience and flavours.
DIVED: Kathmandu
Adventure apparel retailer Kathmandu failed to meet its performance expectations at its Caneland Central location.
As a result, the parent company Kathmandu Holdings opted to close the store when the lease expired in February, 2021.
“The store did not perform to expectations, even before Covid-19 disruptions, therefore the decision was made to not renew the lease,” a corporate spokeswoman said.
THRIVED: The House of Lavender, North Mackay
The family-run business opened its doors in May offering interior design and backyard maintenance products.
Owner Renee Lavender said she kept pricing low because she wanted to see products in people’s homes rather than on the shelves.
DIVED: Kevin’s Place, Mackay CBD
Although the doors to this popular Singaporean restaurant shut in 2019, the furniture and gear was not cleared out of the Victoria St business until earlier this year.
Documents filed in the district court allege the business was effectively forced to close after “defective” toilet facilities located on the floor above, and used by an adjacent restaurant, damaged the property and sparked a public health concern.
It is understood owner Kelly Ah Wang has no plans to bring back the iconic dining venue to the CBD in the future.
THRIVED: Ducksnut Creative Foods, Mackay
At Ducksnuts, the menu items are as big and creative as their names with the Mackay community salivating over the delicious offerings.
It was the third business for John Brown and Leanne Tranberg who have amassed a foodie empire in the region.
THRIVED: Cuppa Juju, Half Tide Beach
Jolene Thompson knew when she opened a cafe of her own, it would use Wolff Coffee Roasters’ Big Dog coffee beans.
She described it as having chocolate notes reminiscent of Arnott’s Monte chocolate biscuits.
That dream became a reality when the mum-of-two partnered with her husband Dennis and her mum and stepdad, Debbie and Gary James, to open Cuppa Juju at Half Tide Beach in the former Coalport Cash Store.
THRIVED: The Gallery Cafe and Co, Mackay
The owners of a popular Mackay watering hole expanded their retro business across the road, opening a new CBD cafe to meet catering demands and offer a more inclusive service to patrons.
The Gallery Cafe and Co, on Wood Street, opened in February in the space previously occupied by Wishbone Charcoal Chicken.
THRIVED: Bis UGM co-branded facility, Paget
A resource logistics giant and an underground services provider joined forces to open a new purpose built facility in Paget.
The Bis and UGM co-branded facility housed workshop, operational and customer functions for both businesses across underground, haulage and materials handling.
THRIVED: Fitstop, Rural View
The newest gym in the Northern Beaches promised to deliver “more than just a workout”.
Husband and wife duo Jerome and Tegan Iakimo were the faces behind Fitstop Rural View — part of a young Australian-grown franchise aiming to shake-up the fitness industry with more than 30 gyms and climbing across the nation.
THRIVED: ZeroW Gym, North Mackay
Kahn Stephenson is not short on motivation.
He trains almost every day, he competes and wins national powerlifting competitions, and he is also the proud owner of ZeroW Mackay, a new strength and performance gym in North Mackay.
THRIVED: Renegade Barber, Paget
At just 21 years old, Damien van dan Merwe took a leap of faith by opening the “unorthodox” Renegade Barber on the outskirts of Paget.
Mr van dan Merwe said he was passionate about providing “on point” cuts, a complete opposite from his early experiments in the profession.
THRIVED: East Coast Cake Co, Proserpine
East Coast Cake Co owner Jodi Dillon has been working as a professional cake decorator for 17 years and it was a book that originally introduced her to the craft.
THRIVED: Bush Florist, Mirani
Lana Ross once wore corporate attire to work in finance but she could not ignore the gravitational pull drawing her back towards creative roots.
And so she moved back home to the Pioneer Valley and opened the Bush Florist selling craft arrangements from fresh and dried natives as well as crystals, decor and handmade jewellery.
THRIVED: Byrnes Cafe, North Mackay
The new coffee shop served up the perfect blend of great coffee, famous pies and good service.
Brothers Adrian and Damien Connors, and their mum Lyn Connors, are behind Byrnes, a corner coffee shop opposite the Mater Private Hospital, which opened in February.
It was the first external cafe site to offer Byrnes pies and pastries after the Connors family bought the iconic brand.
THRIVED: Beauty Worx Salon, Mount Pleasant
Beauty Worx is moving out of its Mount Pleasant Plaza salon into a new space, also in the same suburb, in the first week of January 2022.
The business has been servicing the Mackay region for close to a decade.
THRIVED: Ballistic Beer Co, Cannonvale
It was all ‘hoppening’ in the Whitsundays with Ballistic Beer Co opening a new craft brewery in Cannonvale, turning the tap on a rapidly growing food and dining market.
The award-winning brewing company, known for its small batch brews and special releases, acquired the Whitsunday Islands Brewing Company.
THRIVED: Eureka Street Furniture, Mount Pleasant
The furniture store opened in Mackay to tap into an existing customer base and remove the online shopping element for residents.
Eureka Street Furniture will opened at its store on Greenfields Blvd in February, giving fans of the store a new option when buying from the Australian company.
THRIVED: Teeny Tiny Interiors, Mackay CBD
The Victoria St store is completely run by Mackay mum and interior designer Kylie Giumelli, who said her business was inspired by the birth of her first child
“I fell in love with the world of children’s decor, so the products primarily sold are babies, kids and teens decor,” Mrs Giumelli said.
THRIVED: Coles, Andergrove Village Shopping Centre
Shoppers keenly tested novel additions to doing the groceries including an in-store hot coffee, a dedicated nugget freezer and a DIY dog treat stand when Mackay’s newest Coles opened in July.
The Andergrove Village Shopping Centre anchor tenant employed 85 retail staff and 125 people through its operations, after more than 100 construction jobs were created during the build.
THRIVED: Bonny Cakes, East Mackay
While the business has been around for some time, it opened a physical shopfront in 2021 along Goldsmith St in East Mackay.
It offers homemade sweet treats and cakes, freshly roasted coffee, hand crafted products, outdoor dining, cake decorating classes and will soon offer high teas come 2022.
THRIVED: Freechoice Tobacconist, Sarina
A Sarina husband-and-wife duo celebrated opening their second store on Mother’s Day with thousands of giveaways.
Miranda Roberts, who also owned Nextra Freechoice on Evan Street in Mackay, opened Freechoice in Sarina with husband Jason Cardona at the operations’ helm.
DIVED: Nashy’s Compleat Angler, North Mackay
Bruce Nash retired this year after operating Nashy’s Compleat Angler along Harbour Rd in North Mackay for more than three decades.
The store became synonymous with the big banana, officially named Ivana, with Mr Nash claiming the icon trumped Coffs Harbour’s.
“I’m very biased, at least our banana’s erect,” Mr Nash laughed.
“It stands upright, it’s not a lazy banana.”
THRIVED: Sydney Tools
Tradies had their wish lists at the ready as a nationwide tools and equipment supplier Sydney Tools opened its doors in Paget late this year.
It stocked major brands such as Milwaukee, Makita, Dewalt, Hikoki, Festool, Paslode, Ramset, Husqvarna, Stanley, Fein, UniMig and Cigweld.
THRIVED: All Tyres 2 U, North Mackay
Opening in July behind BP Moss Marine, the business does tyre replacements, wheel alignments, balancing and puncture repairs.
It has drive-through access for caravans, trailers and larger vehicles and also offers emergency call-outs for flat tyres.
DIVED: Brielle & Co, Mackay CBD
Only opening along Sydney St earlier this year, the family-owned shop’s last day of trade was on December 11.
It sold home decor, specialising in rattan goods, as well as baby and children products.
THRIVED: Delicious and Sweet Bakery, Northern Beaches
A Calen grandmother retrofitted her home so she could meet the sweet tooths wanting her baked goodies but after she wanted her kitchen back, she opened a bakery.
Debbie Meates opened her “beautiful” bakery at Rural View in the Northern Beaches in March.
THRIVED: Sage on Hamilton, West Mackay
The West Mackay wellness centre with a holistic cafe technically opened in late 2020, but found its stride in 2021.
Sage on Hamilton offers colonics, massages, Reiki, facials and pain management as well as coffee, vegetable juices and natural health supplements.
THRIVED: Pink Nails Mackay, Andergrove
Pink Nails Mackay opened as a seven day trading nail salon in the Andergrove Village Shopping Centre in July this year.
While the name has pink in it, their full range of shellac nails offers a rainbow of colours.
THRIVED: Containers for Change Mackay Recycling, Mackay Harbour
Containers for Change offered Mackay region residents a new way to get cash in return for their waste.
Sue Luders and her husband moved from Adelaide to Mackay to help their son manage the Mackay Recycling centre at Mackay Harbour which officially opened in May.
THRIVED: Super Vape Store, Mackay CBD
The store opening along Victoria St in Mackay’s CBD back in March advertises as a “one-stop-shop for all your vaping needs”.
This includes electronic cigarettes, e-liquids, e-cig starter kits, concentrates, atomisers and more.
THRIVED: Sandy Coast, Rural View
Operating out of Rural View, the coastal boutique sells furniture and home decor not found elsewhere in the Mackay region.
It opened along Keim St in September this year.
THRIVED: K Hub, Sarina
Sarina shoppers were among the first in Queensland to experience the new Kmart concept store when it opened its doors in January.
The K Hub outlet officially opened to shoppers after a refurbishment of the former Target store.
DIVED: Coral Sea Cellars, Airlie Beach
The Airlie Beach bottle shop announced it would close in January, citing “alcohol licensing complications” as the reason for the closure.
Coral Sea Cellars took to social media to thank customers for their support.
THRIVED: A Willow in Bloom, Mackay CBD
The Wood St florist not only sells beautiful blooms but also runs a juice bar and sells sweet treats from the Gourmet Fudge Company.
Their work was recognised in becoming a finalist in the 2021 Brides Choice Awards.
THRIVED: Pamper Paws, Mackay
The award-winning pet styler Pamper Paws opened a new doggy spa and daycare along Sydney St in Mackay earlier this year after moving north from Blayney, NSW.
The family-owned businesses offers its own range of pet accessories, pet treats and grooming products.
DIVED: Rainbow Nails, Mount Pleasant
Clients took to Facebook to announce the Rainbow Nails store at Mount Pleasant Centre had closed after being unable to use their gift vouchers.
THRIVED: Charcoal, Caneland Central
The Brisbane-based clothing business recently opened its first store in Mackay at Caneland Central, next to JB Hi-Fi.
It states it strives to “bring you a new dose of affordable yet on-trend fashion every week” and has stores at Brisbane Airport’s DFO, Westfield North Lakes Shopping Centre, Robina Town Centre and Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.
THRIVED: Bohemian Elyse, Mackay CBD
Bohemian Elyse first took the plunge with a bricks-and-mortar store at Caneland Central.
But in December, it opened a new gift store at 68 Sydney St across from Brumby’s Bakery.
Complete with a kids’ corner, it also has a new cafe opening on December 20.
THRIVED: Serenity Haus of Beauty, Ooralea
The Ooralea-based business is a relative newcomer to the Mackay tanning scene.
It also offers mobile appointments and group tannings at discounted rates.
THRIVED: Mackay School Supplies, Mackay CBD
Opening in August, the business took over the premises left empty by Anything Fitness on the corner of Victoria St and Brisbane St.
It offers a ready-packaged booklist service for multiple Mackay schools including Andergrove, Bucasia, Calen, Mackay North, Oakenden and many more.
THRIVED: Wildcat Mackay, Mackay Harbour
Technically part of the Airlie Beach-based Redcat Adventures business, it is such an exciting addition to Mackay, we’ve added it to the list.
Launching its first tour to Mackay islands from the Mackay Harbour in December, the custom built catamaran features an in-built bar and unlocks access to coral reefs, Jurassic-park areas and “awesome sandbars”.
DIVED: Hatchery at Freckle Farm, Brightly
After losing their Nebo Rd shopfront in late 2019, Freckle Farm posted on Facebook telling customers it would shut down the egg part of the business.
“We understand this is going to be devastating for our customers and we would certainly have preferred to keep the enterprise going with a new farming family,” the business posted to Facebook on December 10.
THRIVED: Tri Tone Tattoo, Slade Point
Opening in Slade Point earlier this year, Tri Tone Tattoo owner Mitch Brammer was voted as Mackay’s best tattooist.
Mr Brammer specialises in traditional Japanese, horror and cult styles of tattoos, a surprising choice considering he confessed he was once “sh*t scared” as a child.
THRIVED: Ceylon Delights, Airlie Beach Bowls Club
Ceylon Delights introduced Sri Lankan cuisine to the Whitsundays with a restaurant at Airlie Beach Bowls Club.
The menu is chock-full of curries with sides including coconut sambal, coconut rati and pappadums.
THRIVED: Salty Stitches Marine Trimming, Airlie Beach
The marine trimming business opened in Airlie Beach towards the start of 2021 offering quality custom boat covers, dodgers, biminis, clears, boombags, sail covers, awnings, upholstery and more.
Situated next-door to the Coral Sea, their videos on Facebook featuring gorgeous turtles make us envious we can’t always be out on the water.
THRIVED: The Gift Shed & Cafe, Finch Hatton
Trading on weekends in the picturesque town of Finch Hatton in the upper Pioneer Valley, The Gift Shed and Cafe sells locally-produced fruit and vegetables and boutique coffee.
They also offer treats such as chocolate banana pancakes with strawberry, apple and rhubarb compote, and mango, lime pickle, coconut and yoghurt crepes.
If you enjoyed this list, why not check out businesses that thrived or dived in 2020.
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