Suburb profile: Stones Corner, Brisbane

THIS trendy Brisbane destination, just 5km from the CBD, is reclaiming its identity after spending 40 years in the shadow of its surrounding suburb. And there’s more than just pride at stake in reinstating its boundaries.

Logan Rd is the main shopping strip in Stones Corner, which is undergoing a retro revival.

IT’S a trendy Brisbane destination that has re-claimed its suburban status, now all it needs to do is recapture its retail mojo to complete its revival.

Stones Corner now stands alone as a bona fide suburb after a concerted two-year campaign to extract itself from Greenslopes.

Shady Palms owner Vik Laroiya says before being identified as a suburb, people found it difficult to find Stones Corner as it wouldn’t appear on a GPS.

The move was championed by local businesses, Our Stones Corner lobby group and councillor Ian McKenzie.

It’s a return to years past after Stones Corner was formerly a suburb until it swallowed whole by Greenslopes in 1975 and, for the uninitiated, there was more than just pride at stake in reinstating its boundaries.

Businesses and retail outlets became increasingly frustrated that visitors to the area had trouble locating stores and restaurants, says Vik Laroiya who owns trendy cafe and bar Shady Palms.

Shady Palms is one of several up-market cafes and restaurants dotted along the Logan Rd shopping strip.

“People will now be able to find Stones Corner on their GPS, so that alone will make a lot of difference,” Mr Laroiya said.

“Before it was only a location and when people tried to put it into their GPS, it didn’t exist. The street name was under Greenslopes and it made it difficult for people to get here, especially if they were not familiar with the area.”

Shady Palms is one of several up-market cafes and restaurants dotted along the Logan Rd shopping strip which was once inundated with major retail outlet stores which came to define Stones Corner in the nineties.

Stones Corner businesses and council installed a gateway artwork signage at both ends of the Logan Rd shopping strip in 2013.

The factory outlet shops deserted the strip when DFO opened at Skygate in September 2005 and it’s taken sometime for the suburb and the retail strip to recover, says Jeff Jones real estate agent Matt Jones.

“The strip is primarily what people think of Stones Corner,” Mr Jones said.

“It used to be full of outlet stores and we’re talking County Road and Table Eight, to name two, and then when DFO opened it drew those retailers away.

“Anything within walking distance of the shopping strip these days is in high demand.”

He said the return to suburban status coincided with Stones Corner going through its second revival.

The Stones Corner busway opened in 2011. The suburb is also a few minutes’ walk from Buranda train station and by access to the M1 motorway is just as close.

Until outlets stores started congregating in Logan Rd, the area had a seedy side, said Mr Jones.

Now, after a lull of more than decade, the strip is coming to life again, helped by the development of multi-level apartment blocks and the Stones Corner busway station which opened in 2011.

The Buranda train station is just a few minutes walk from the shopping hub, while it takes even less time to access the M1 motorway by car.

“The nineties rejuvenated it because before that it was not the most desirable area and it’s started to pick up again,” he said.

“It definitely now has a retro feel.”

Co-owner of Sonic Sherpa, Steve Bell, says there's a misconception about parking in Stones Corner. He says there's plenty in nearby streets.

Among the eclectic group of shops in and around Logan Rd is music store Sonic Sherpa, whose motto is ‘trying to save the world from sh*t music’.

Sonic Sherpa is run by Steve Bell and Simon Homer, who used to own iconic record store Skinny’s in Elizabeth St in the CBD, and sits behind the Stones Corner Hotel which has been serving beers since 1888.

The vinyl record store is now in its third year and Mr Bell said all indications are pointing up for Stones Corner and regaining suburb status will only help businesses in the area.

“The area has an identity and has a lot of goodwill and the pub’s a good example,” he said.

“A few decades ago it was rough but now it’s classy and a popular place for people to visit and they embrace live music.”

Neighbouring retailers are hoping for this vacant art deco store to soon be occupied.

He also pointed out that there was the misconception about it being a place where parking is difficult to find.

“For the uninitiated it is a bit daunting, but there’s a street within a two minute walk from here and you can always get a park there and it’s all day. It’s just a matter of familiarising yourself with the area because there is ample parking,” he said.

If there was one common theme among local business owners was the need for more quality boutique retailers.

There are several clothing and gift shops but there are also a number of premises for lease.

The standout is a renovated classic art deco store just a few doors from the crisply styled Osborne and Co., which specialises in homewares and unique quality children’s clothing.

Osborne & Co. owner Rebecca Osborne would like to see more "one-off" retail outlets open along Logan Rd to complete the area’s revival.

Osborne and Co. owner Rebecca Osborne said the more retail outlets the street can muster the more likely the street will regain its former glory.

“I like the idea of Stones Corner being a suburb because now people can Google it and see exactly where we are but we also need more retail and complementary shops,” she said.

“The general feedback from customers is that they want more.

“I don’t think we will get back to where it was prior to DFO but that’s not bad because that was mainstream but if we can have one-off stores or boutiques, I think it will give Stones Corner a fresh identity.”

Lady Marmalade Cafe is another popular eatery in the area, which councillor Ian McKenzie predicts will rival Bulimba. Picture: AAP/Ric Frearson

Cr McKenzie said there was little opposition to Stones Corner breaking away from Greenslopes and he suggested in time that it would overtake Bulimba as a destination to shop and eat.

It covers only fewer than 30 streets/roads and is one of the smallest, if not the smallest, suburbs in Brisbane.

The suburb’s boundary runs from Rialto and Cornwall streets to Junction St and follows Norman Creek to Main Ave.

“Residents have generally wanted it to be a suburb and businesses wanted it changed because people can’t find their way here on the GPS,” Cr McKenzie said.

Three businesses in Stoneham Ln, Stones Corner, commissioned a graffiti-style mural to give the laneway some character and identity in 2013.

“The opposition was very light and people wanted to be in a niche suburb, businesses wanted to be identified … and it provides a really nice lifestyle, a train line, bike tracks and a busway and I think it’s going to thrive and put Bulimba to shame.”

Stones Corner is regaining its identity after breaking away from Greenslopes. Picture: Patria Jannides

Being such a new suburb there is no definitive data on Stones Corner regarding median house prices or population.

However, Mr Jones expects the residential market to mirror Greenslopes where the median house price has increased from $587,000 in 2013 to $745,000 in late 2017.

The intersection of Old Cleveland Rd and Logan Rd, Stones Corner, in 1928. The suburb has come a long way since the twenties but has further to go, say local business owners.