Uptown becomes ghost town as Myer leaves Queen st shopping centre, CBD
It was once a thriving place to be but this Queensland shopping icon is now nowhere to be seen. SEE THE PHOTOS
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A week on since Myer’s flagship Brisbane store closed its doors for the final time, remnants of what was the original “Myer Centre” are nowhere to be seen and the iconic shopping destination resembles a ghost town.
Queen Street Mall has been adorned with brightly coloured pastel banners, proudly displaying the centre’s new ‘Uptown’ name and the phrase “what’s up town”.
Myer Centre signage can only be found in the depths of the mall’s basement or snuck behind elevator doors.
Despite a bold marketing campaign which has included merchandised lollipops, banners, posters, influencer plugs and even old-fashioned bell boys in the centre’s elevators, the food court remained fairly empty during what would have been their lunch rush on Thursday.
Only tradies and city workers were observed eating in the dilapidated food court and many of the centre’s stores including Country Road, Lincraft and Portmans lacked a steady flow of customers usually observed at other Brisbane shopping centre such as Chermside and Carindale.
All entrances to Myer have been boarded up, shelves have been left empty and all stock not sold in the bumper clearance sale has been moved elsewhere.
Since the announcement of the centre’s new name, locals have taken to social media to vent their confusion and anger over the rebranding and original tenants have been left scratching their heads.
“I thought when I came in that it was a campaign thing and not the name of the actual centre,” one employee from Melt Brothers said.
“Since Myer left we’ve definitely noticed a dip in sales, it’s a lot quieter, but that also could be because school holidays have just finished.”
L’Occitane Uptown told The Courier-Mail they would be leaving the centre and relocating to Queen Street Mall in October.
QUT retail expert Professor Gary Mortimer said while the name Uptown works geographically, the campaign lacks a marketing strategy and left retailers without direction.
“A quick look at the centre map and you can see a lot of black emptiness, so you have half a complex with plenty of vacancies, existing tenants are under great pressure to meet budgets with less foot traffic,” Professor Mortimer said.
“You’ve got a bright promotion and then you arrive there and you certainly do not get that.
“The Brisbane CBD already offers a significant range of retail with Queen St, Edward St, and the middle of the mall already offering high-end fashion, and fast fashion.”
Many couriermail.com.au readers insisted the new name wouldn’t change customer willingness to head into the city.
“Wouldn’t have set foot in the joint since the 80s I reckon. Do whatever you like with it. Nobody cares,” one commenter said.
“Parking in the city is so expensive why would anyone go there voluntarily anyway,” said another.
There is still no word on who will replace Myer at Uptown. The Courier-Mail has contacted the owners of the premises to no avail.
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