Hyperdome blamed for Loganholme Foodworks closing

LAST VIDEO: A popular 24-hour supermarket, the first in Logan, will close next month with owners citing challenges from competition at a nearby state government-owned shopping centre.

A popular 24-hour supermarket, the first 24-hour store in Logan, will close next month with owners citing challenges from a nearby state government-owned shopping centre.

Foodworks at Loganholme, opened its doors in 1995, offering the first major around-the-clock supermarket south of Brisbane.

The landmark Foodworks store at Loganholme will close its doors next month and it is still unknown what type of retailer will take its place.

Foodworks franchise owner John Nguyen said the competition from the nearby Hyperdome, which upgraded its Woolworths, Coles and Aldi stores over the past year, had hampered his business.

“Sadly the store will close on June 30,” he said.

“Given the stiff surrounding competition and Hyperdome which is now a more ideal place to shop, it has been extremely challenging to turn the store around.

“Foodworks has existed here for 26 years. We acquired the business last year and for the past year we have tried everything to make this work as we do have loyal customers and great staff to look after, but have not been able to do so.

Loganholme late night shoppers will have to find another outlet after Foodworks announced it would close next month.

“We are very grateful for the loyal customers who travelled with us this far and sincerely thank them.

“We hope the public can understand we can no longer afford to lose further money.

“Fortunately for us, the landlord, QIC, has been very sympathetic and understanding.

“We have multiple stores but the closure of Loganholme has nothing to do with other stores which we own.”

Empty shelves inside the store, which is set to close before the end of the financial year.

The family, which bought the Loganholme store from Allan and Corine Burge, owns the highly successful Woodridge Foodworks store.

Mr Nguyen said the store’s downfall was not due to high rent and QIC, as the landlord, had been very sympathetic and understanding.

“Even though we should be busy during Covid-19, the public rushed into big stores like Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA Supermarkets and simply forgot the small independent operators suich as Foodworks,” he said.

“You hear about the four giant brand names in the media all the time, but not Foodworks.

“People fought for toilet paper rolls at Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi (all have some foreign interests) whilst there was ample toilet paper in our Australian Foodworks stores.

“Foodworks are independently owned and operated by local Australian citizens, and I hope people support local owners, especially where the margins are so low that most products at Foodworks are cheaper than the big brand stores.

“Woodridge Foodworks customers know this, and that is why that business is still successful.

It is still unknown what type of store or retailer will go into the vacant site, which is owned by Queensland Investment Corporation, which also owns the Hyperdome.

Logan Shopping Village centre manager Brian Turner said he was unable to provide any specific detail as lease discussions with the retailer were commercial in confidence.

Meat stocks are limited in the store.

Bakery shelves were depleted.

Shoppers over the past two weeks were surprised to see empty shelves at the store, once Logan’s largest all-night supermarkets.

Logan shopper Vaughn Scott said he was surprised to find a range of advertised specials were not available and few staff.

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