Arndale and Springwood Mall go head to head as busway opening looms
Two southside shopping centres are gearing up for a heated battle to win market dominance in Springwood, south of Brisbane as construction continues on a new busway.
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Two southside shopping centres are gearing up for a heated battle to win market dominance in Springwood, south of Brisbane.
The Arndale Centre is hoping to keep its customers after the nearby Springwood Shopping Mall, owned by Chin Hong, completes a massive $16 million renovation this year.
The 47-year-old Arndale Centre, anchored by Coles on Cinderella Dr, is less than 270m from the newer Springwood Shopping Mall, anchored by Target.
Both centres announced massive overhauls late last year with Arndale completing its $15 million renovations in March and Chin Hong’s massive overhaul to be completed by June next year.
The rivalry stepped up this month following an exodus of long-time tenants from the Arndale Centre including clothing giant Rivers, and the imminent opening of the new busway station outside Springwood Mall Shopping Centre.
Commercial and industrial rents in Springwood have decreased since 2015 with the average advertised retail rent price for the area $279/sqm, compared to 2015 when prices spiked at $375/sqm, according to figures from Commercial Property Guide.
Arndale retailers, who did not want to be named, said the centre had “stared down” struggles after the departure of Rivers at the beginning of the year.
Discount store Variety 1, a popular long-term tenant, also started a series of sales this month, triggering concerns it too was ready to leave after putting up with a leaking ceiling.
Last week, the popular Arndale Bakery closed its doors for seven days while a dispute over rent at the shop was negotiated with the landlord, Consolidated Properties Group.
A notice on the front door said the closure followed the landlord re-entering the shop after a tenancy breach dating back to April 23.
However, after the state government’s three-day Covid lockdown, the bakery reopened on Saturday.
Staff said negotiations had taken place with management and the store would remain trading at centre, where it had undertaken major renovations to the shop and bakery.
Other retailers said the renovations had not brought the much-needed boost to trade.
Arndale’s renovations in March included painting the inside of the centre brown, the outside grey and installing skylights, which had to be bolstered with digital lights after steel beams blocked outside light.
Plans for skylights to lighten up the inside of the centre came unstuck when steel beams blocked the light resulting in digital lights being installed.
Springwood Mall Shopping Centre will be strategically placed near the new busway once it opens later this year with bus users having direct access to the shops.
This week, Springwood Shopping Mall said it was expanding Woolworths and creating a drive-through parcel pick up as part of its redevelopment.
It also announced a “tenancy split” of the Target site and works for special fire services along with external and internal demolition but not of the Woolworths site.
An al fresco, external dining precinct will be built at the front of the centre featuring several a number of restaurants.
Last month, the shade sails at the front were removed in preparation of works to expand the carpark.
Arndale Centre, owned by the Liberman family-backed CVS Lane, is on 3.4ha and plans to expand its main trade area of 58,000 sqm by 20 per cent over the next decade.
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