North Buderim IGA closure: Business shuts doors after Coles moves in

A Sunshine Coast IGA owner has had to close his shop’s doors 18 months after a supermarket behemoth moved in across the street, labelling it a ‘sad day’ for small businesses.

The North Buderim IGA which employs more than a dozen people is closing its doors only 18 months after supermarket behemoth Coles moved in across the road.

Cornetts IGA chief executive Graham Booysen, whose company owns the North Buderim IGA along Pittards Rd, said his store will be shutting its doors on Wednesday September 28, 2022 following a fire sale of their stock.

Mr Booysen said it was a “sad day” for small business after he took on the massive task of competing with the supermarket giant that moved in along Jones Rd.

“It was a great little business and we were very competitive, we had fresh produce and great meat,” he said.

“The loyal customers we had are certainly not happy we’re closing but they understand the economics of it all.”

Cornetts CEO Graham Booysen.

Cornetts took over the IGA along Pittards Rd four years ago with the knowledge that Coles would eventually move in.

Mr Booysen said in the early years the store received a “very good response” until Coles opened across the street.

The Cornetts IGA executive said he and other businesses had started seeing a trend of big supermarkets opening up across the Sunshine Coast.

“It’s a free market and an open country but at the moment I just think there’s too many supermarket in the Buderim area, there’s one on every corner,” Mr Booysen said.

“I’m not sure why council allows them to keep opening but if it keeps happening you’re going to take business away from smaller businesses.”

His 13 staff members had fortunately found alternative employment with other supermarkets but he said he was concerned for the remaining business in the shopping centre across from Coles Buderim.

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“That little centre it has a butcher, a gym, a cafe, I think they’re all going to suffer and they’re all battling the other stores coming in,” he said.

“It proves that there isn’t enough business to go around if you put in a Coles or another supermarket on every corner.

“Something’s going to fail if that keeps happening … it’s always sad to close a store, you never want to close a store.”

Initially, the site was intended for a Woolworths to be built, however, the application was refused by the Sunshine Coast Council.

The site developer appealed the refusal with the Planning and Environment Council ruling in favour of a full-line Coles to be built at the site.

In findings handed down on October 26, 2017, District Court Judge Everson found there was a definite need for the development in the area.

Sunshine Coast councillor Christian Dickson told the Sunshine Coast Daily in 2018 he was disappointed by the Planning and Environment Court decision.

He believed residents had enough grocery options.

“That area is well catered for ... people are spoiled for choice,” Cr Dickson said.

Sunshine Coast councillor for Division 7 Ted Hungerford has been contacted for comment.