Noni B, Katies and Strandbags stores temporarily closed at Westfield shopping centres
A bitter rental dispute between Westfield and major women’s retailers Noni B, Katies and Strandbags has seen stores boarded up and temporarily closed at three major Brisbane shopping centres.
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Stores have been boarded up in at least three major Brisbane shopping centres amid a row between Westfield and two retail companies.
Noni B, Katies and Strandbags stores at both Westfield Carindale and Garden City were today mysteriously shuttered, with hastily made signs pointing shoppers to their online web stores.
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Strandbags Garden City even had hoarding erected around its entrance, while the Westfield website said the store was “temporarily closed.”
Strandbags Chermside was also listed on the website as closed,
It comes as both Strandbags and Mosaic, owner of Noni B, Katies and several other brands, are reportedly locked in a rental dispute with Scentre Group, owner of Westfield.
“These actions are extremely disappointing, given the current environment, and difficult to comprehend in the context of a relationship that spans close to 40 years,” Mosaic chairman
Richard Facioni said on Thursday night.
“Mosaic continues to conduct rental negotiations in good faith with all landlords, including Scentre Group, in the spirit of sharing the burden of the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, consistent with Government recommendations.”
400 Mosaic employees and 129 stores nationwide are expected to be impacted.
A Scentre Group spokesman on Friday refused to comment on specifics, instead saying: “We don’t comment on commercial arrangements with our retail partners.”
Strandbags managing director Felicity McGahan told the Australian Financial Review the shutdowns were “a Westfield issue” and said the company was complying with Federal Government recommendations.