Toombul Fruit Market to close after lease negotiations fail

A greengrocer husband and wife team who have been working in the industry for 40 years say an inner Brisbane shopping centre has forced them out after they refused an expensive shop refit.

Tina and Nick Criticos, owners of Toombul Fruit Market and a new fresh produce home delivery service. Picture: Supplied.

A GREENGROCER will have to demolish his store at an inner Brisbane shopping centre this month after he could not afford a major refit — but customers have vowed to save them.

Nick and Tina Criticos will close Toombul Fruit Market, which they have run for five years, at Toombul Shopping Centre after the centre would not renew their lease.

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“It’s a bit heartbreaking for us,” he said.

“My wife is pretty emotionally upset about it, she’s very close to the customers, especially the elderly customers — she peels everything for them.

“They’re upset because a lot of them haven’t eaten so well in years.”

Mr Criticos said the centre wanted them to refit the store, which would have cost $200,000 to $300,000, when their lease expired at the end of May.

Tina and Nick Criticos will launch Nikos Quality Fruit & Vegetable Delivery and Wholesale after they close the Toombul Fruit Market. Picture: Supplied.

“I’m not prepared to spend that amount of money to refit,” he said.

The husband-and-wife team announced the closure and the launch of their new fresh produce home delivery service, Nikos Quality Fruit & Vegetable Delivery and Wholesale, on Wednesday.

A post sharing their announcement on social media garnered hundreds of comments, with customers promising to petition the centre to keep the store.

Mr Criticos said the centre had “hurt us, but I’m not there to argue with them and be bitter” and instead would focus on the couple’s passion: fresh fruit and veg for customers.

“Because we love what we do, we’re not just going to walk away and I’m not going to leave our customers in the lurch,” he said.

“I’ve been doing this 40 years — I used to own the fruit and veg shop in the old McWhirters Building (in Fortitude Valley) that was there for 30 years.

“Ever since COVID’s happened, we’ve done home deliveries and we thought, if they’re gonna kick us out, we can keep doing what we’re doing.

“We’ll keep the same quality but deliver straight to your doors so you don’t have to leave home.”

Toombul Shopping Centre has spent millions upgrading its eating and entertainment offerings. Picture: Supplied

He said the in negotiations that spanned six months the couple had thought they would be able to get a two-year extension and then re-evaluate if they afford to upgrade.

Mr Criticos said he was waiting for the paperwork on that very deal when the centre came back to him and told him they had a new tenant and would not renew his lease.

In anticipation of the extra two years, the couple just spent $10,000 upgrading their refrigerators — something they would not have done otherwise.

The closure comes after the health food shop next door, Go Vita, closed recently and the delicatessen in the same part of the shop closed last January.

Toombul Shopping Centre is completing a major multimillion-dollar refurbishment at the shopping centre, including the establishment of the UpStairs dining precinct.

Toombul Shopping Centre spent $35 million upgrading its eating and entertainment offerings.

A Toombul Shopping Centre spokeswoman said the centre management team “acknowledges the community response to the news of Toombul Fruit Market’s departure”.

“While the specific details of the negotiations are confidential, we have been in negotiations with Toombul Fruit Market since February 2019 and their departure is not linked to the current challenging operating environment,” she said.

“We deeply regret that we were unable to reach an agreement on a new lease term despite the prolonged negotiation period.

“We thank Nick and Tina for their time serving the Toombul community. They are much loved by locals and we wish them well in their future endeavours.”