Sussan, W Lane, Myer gone: Mass exodus grips major shopping centre
One of the biggest shopping centres south of Brisbane is in the grip of a mass retailer exodus with scores of women’s fashion shops closing after the centre already lost major department store Myer.
Logan
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Massive hikes in rent are believed to be behind an exodus of women’s fashion retailers from Logan’s Hyperdome, one of the largest shopping centres south of Brisbane.
Women’s clothing outlet Sussan, which has operated at the centre from more than 12 years, shut its doors for the last time on Monday with W Lane and plus-size women’s clothing store Autograph also closing.
Autograph former manager Hayley McDonald said JD Sports, a shoe company, would take over the vacant corner sites once dominated by Sussan.
Departing staff, who did not want to be named, said the state government’s Queensland Investment Corporation jacked up rents six months ago.
They said an average tenancy lease at the Hyperdome was valued at about $10,000 a week.
“We were told that the centre would not renew their lease as the sports shoe shop, which was opposite Sussan, wanted their space and offered higher rent,” the staff said.
“It will make eight sports and shoe stores in the Hyperdome.
“Management said their research showed a younger demographic patronised the centre, hence the need to get rid of Sussan.
“I hope it comes back to bite them, one size does not fit all and a shopping centre should cater for everyone.”
QIC is yet to respond to questions about the rents and the retailers’ departures.
Naomi Milgrom’s Sussan Group, which also owns Sportsgirl, had been under the pump since 2020, when it declared it was going to turn the tables on landlords and shut shop until rent reductions were granted.
This week’s departures renewed calls for an overhaul in management and leasing deals, less than 12 months after national chain Mosaic Brands’ Noni B, Katies and Rockmans also packed up and left.
Mosaic Brands, which also owns Crossroads and Rivers with outlets at the Hyperdome, had tried to renegotiate leases with management in August 2020 before finally moving out in March 2021.
A Mosaic Brands spokesman at the time, said high rents and forced closures during Covid were to blame.
Myer and Bi-Lo left in 2018.
Last month, relocation of traders at the Hyperdome Home Centre triggered talk of a major retail reconfiguration.
The state government-owned Hyperdome Home Centre was expected to hold discussions with some traders.
Former tenant Nishil Vekariya said he knew many retailers at the Hyperdome who planned to leave because rents were too high.
“I paid $96,000 a month rent for two sites,” he said.
“What bizarre arithmetic allows two vacancies to outweigh a reduced rent.
“The fact that rent was then reduced for someone else was heartbreaking.”
The Hyperdome did not respond to Mr Vekariya’s claims.
Logan shopper Kylie Morris said QIC needed to do more research into demographics before signing leasing deals.
“I hate having to go to Garden City or Carindale for ladies’ fashion.”
Others were considering driving from Logan to the Gold Coast and Coomera.
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