Flashback: How Brisbane’s favourite shopping centres looked in days gone by

They have been favourite haunts of many a Brissie local over the years and, wow, how these shopping centres have changed. SEE THE GALLERY

From the country’s first “drive-in” shopping centre to the city’s historical home of retail, these Brisbane shopping centres have etched a place in the memories of us all.

Here’s how some of Brisbane’s favourite shopping centres have changed over multiple decades:

McWhirters

Light blazed in the Valley when three emporiums, Waltons-Sears, McWhirters (pictured) and T.C. Beirne's, were decorated in coloured lights. The stores were planning a campaign to make the Valley a unified shopping centre to fight back against intensified competition when the big drive-in shopping centre at Chermside opened. Picture: Bob Millar Jnr/The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Traffic in Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley, in inner Brisbane. The McWhirters building, a major department store, is in the background. Picture: Cliff Potter/The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Royal tour decorations on the McWhirters building in Fortitude Valley. Picture: Bob Millar Jnr/The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

McWhirters building on the corner of Wickham and Brunswick streets, Fortitude Valley.

A McWhirters shop window.

1969: Fashions at McWhirters — “The girls are borrowing just about everything in “in gear” from the guys these days and as soon as Vicki Carmichael saw the men's pullovers which had arrived at McWhirters for the winter she tried one on, and found it made a perfect mini-dress. “Vicki teamed the pale oatmeal jumper with a yellow, blue and orange scarf.” Picture: Bob Nicol/The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

1968: “Michele Power models swimsuits at McWhirters. Salute to sail, sun and surf fashions from Michelle Power who paraded at McWhirters the Valley, against a background of a small sailing (boat). Michelle was wearing a red and white checked gingham bikini and floppy white cotton hat.” Picture: Bob Nicol/ The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Aspects of the iconic McWhirters Building in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane on Thursday, October 5, 2017. McWhirters now has retail and residential occupancy. Picture: AAP/Claudia Baxter

Chermside

1957: “Shopping ease for shoppers at the opening of Allan and Stark Ltd's drive-in shopping centre at Chermside — the first of its kind in Australia. The drive-in shopping centre will do much to relieve congestion in the city proper.” Picture: Bob Millar/The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Shoppers at Chermside’s new drive-in shopping centre in 1957. Picture: Bob Millar/The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Crowds at opening day at the Allan and Stark Ltd drive-in shopping centre at Chermside on May 5, 1957. Picture: Bob Millar/ The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Shoppers at the opening day of the Allan and Stark Ltd drive-in shopping centre at Chermside in 1957. Picture: Bob Millar/The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Chermside shopping centre from the car in the 1960s.

Footprint of Chermside shopping centre in the 1960s.

2000: Westfield Shoppingtown Chermside during redevelopment. National Marketing Manager for Cobbler Plus and Watchworks Eileen Boyce talks on her mobile phone. Picture: Suzanna Clarke

The centre in 1998. Picture: Graham Hutton

Workers begin the clean-up operation on the ground floor of Myer at Chermside shopping centre after storm damage in April 1997.

Workers begin the clean-up operation on the ground floor of Myer at Chermside shopping centre after storm damage in April 1997.

Sarah and Nicholas Goddard of Albany Creek play on the snowfields of ice in the car park after a hailstorm at Chermside shopping centre in April 1997.

Jason Baker and his son Ty, 4, Christmas shopping in 2005.

Christmas shoppers at crowded Westfield Chermside in 2004.

Centre Manager of Westfield Chermside, Paul Swerdlow, prepares for the Christmas rush with 24hr shopping approved. Picture: Russell Shakespeare

Grocery shopping in Chermside in 2006. Picture: AAP/Tony Phillips

Opera Singers Liza Beamish (L) and Kathleen Procter entertain the shoppers outside Woolworths at Chermside shopping centre.

Christmas Shopping in 2007. Picture: Megan Cullen

The Gympie Rd side of Chermside shopping centre in 2008.

Toombul

Heavy rain causes flooding in Toombul Shopping Centre.

An aerial photo of Toombul in 2000. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Crowds gather in 1997 for a performance by the Corrs.

Crowd gathers to see Gene Simmons of Kiss at Toombul Music. Picture: Andrew Maccoll

A Sunday afternoon in December 1999 — a deserted Westfield Toombul shopping centre where no trading is allowed.

Exterior of the centre when it was owned by Centro.

Interior of then named Centro Shopping Centre, Toombul.

A more recent photo of Toombul shopping centre.

Aspley

1967: The official opening of Aspley Village shopping centre. Picture: Ted Holliday/ The Courier-Mail Photo Archive

Aspley Village Shopping Centre in 2006.

Aspley Village in 2006.

The centre was sold for $10 million.

Aspley Village shopping centre.

Roscos Menswear, Aspley shopping centre, closed down in 2016 after 47 years trading. Owner Ross Chamberlain at the store. Picture: Chris Higgins

Aspley Hypermarket.

October 11, 2001: Prime Minister John Howard took to the streets today stopping in at Pick'n’Pay Hypermarket in Aspley. Picture: AAP/Dave Hunt

Logan

The Hyperdome in 2004.

Danielle Rankin at the Hyperdome in 1997. Picture: O’Connor

Cafe Metzzo in 2001.

Logan Central

Logan Central shopping centre. Picture: Jono Searle

Logan Central shopping centre. Picture: Jono Searle

Woodridge Plaza, Logan City, Brisbane.

North Lakes

2003: Westfield's North Lakes Shopping Centre opening. Picture: Phil Norrish

2003: Westfield's North Lakes Shopping Centre opening. Picture: Phil Norrish

Tracey Turner and Isabella, 2, of Ferny Hills and Isabella 2yrs at the centre’s opening in 2003.

Opening day in 2003. Picture: Phil Norrish t

Caboolture

1997: Caboolture Park Shopping Centre on King St, now known as Caboolture Square.

Caboolture Square Shopping Centre.

Morayfield

Morayfield shopping centre in 2005.

1997: Morayfield Shopping Centre.

Brookside

December, 1978: Queues of people at check-outs at Woolworths at Brookside shopping centre at 7.30pm on the first night of late night trading. Picture: Gerry Jasiulek

Outside Brookside shopping centre in 1997. Picture: Suzanna Clarke

Brookside Shopping Centre manager Michael Anthill in 2013.

Action supermarket at Brookside in 2005. Picture: Peter Bull

Mary Rampton worked at Brookside shopping centre, which used to include a Myer store, for 35 years.

Indooroopilly

Crowds of screaming fans at Westfield Indooroopilly Shopping Centre to catch a glimpse of X Files actress Gillian Anderson aka Dana Scully in 1996.

Kylie Minogue at the centre in 1998. Picture: Jamie Hanson

The centre in 2004. Picture: Heather Faulkner

Toowong

Inside Toowong Village in 2000. Picture: Tom O’Connor

Toowong Shopping Village in 1998.

Carindale

Warwick Hoy, manager of Carindale shopping centre in 1996.

Peter Anderson inside the centre ahead of a redevelopment in 1996.

Carindale shopping centre under construction in 1998.

Fashion designer Julie Tengdahl and husband Brett with plans for their flagship store at Carindale shopping centre in 1999. Picture: Peter Bull

Outside the centre in 2000. Picture: Graham Hutton