You don’t usually see this at Bunnings — travelator links floors at huge new site
OPEN TODAY | Now here’s something you don’t usually see at Bunnings. The hardware retail chain says its “unique” new Brisbane store is going to be a game changer.
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It’s HUGE, and it’s finally open. Drive down Breakfast Creek Rd towards Newstead and it’s hard to miss the massive chunk of real estate that is the new Bunnings Warehouse site.
It dominates the street like a safety vest at a black tie party — impossible to miss.
City North News was granted an exclusive sneak peek of the new Bunnings Warehouse Newstead store before it welcomed customers on Thursday and ahead Friday’s official opening.
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Locals — and the 60,000-plus cars that drive past it every day — have been watching its construction with anticipation since work began in March last year.
It’s the company’s first multi-level warehouse in Queensland, says complex manager Leigh Streeter.
That explains the item not usually seen on a Bunnings floor — a travelator. (No, it’s not for sale.)
But Leigh — who was formerly manager at Stafford Bunnings — says there are other touches unique to the store. He says it’s on a compact footprint, but because it goes up not out, there is 17,000 sqm of floorspace. That means a wider range of products. There’s also a rooftop nursery with a stunning view over Newstead and out to the city.
The store has been designed, Leigh says, to cater for the army of innercity tradies working on the many high density residential developments and soaring commercial projects currently underway in the city and the city’s northern fringe areas.
And there are more products that would suit apartment-dwellers, such as scaled-down outdoor furniture, compact barbecues and lots of balcony-smart plants.
This is just one of a handful of new sites Bunnings will crack open this year, with a warehouse taking on the site of the former failed Masters hardware chain at Robina recently, and other stores at Virginia and Acacia Ridge under construction.
The new site will replace the existing Albion warehouse.
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A Bunnings spokesman confirmed that staff working at Albion would be moved to the company’s new city location, although a date had not been set for the old store’s closure.
“More than 230 locals are official team members of the new Bunnings Warehouse Newstead,” he said. “(There will be) 150 new recruits joining the existing team from the current Albion store, who will transfer to the new warehouse once the Albion warehouses closes.”
It has been reported the Albion site was sold for $14 million last month, to car dealership AP Eagers. Reports stated Bunnings would leave the site in June.
Festivities at the Newstead site are on from 9am-3pm this weekend and 9am-2pm next weekend, and include a jumping castle, magic show, animal farm and face painting, and special events each day from 11am (a more detailed schedule is listed below).
WHAT’S IN STORE
The Newstead store is like the TARDIS — it seems huge on the outside but even bigger once inside.
Parking is via the rear of the building, off Ross St, although Leigh promises that there will be the traditional sausage sizzles held at the “official” front of the store — Breakfast Creek Rd — as a temporary measure until a more permanent spot is sorted.
There are two floors of undercover parking. Entry from the basement is via a very spiffy glass-doored lift.
The tradie dock is on the first floor — a ramp leads from Edmund St up to the tradie customer loading dock, which has four lanes where deliveries can be loaded.
It’s physically inside the building. Floor-to-ceiling racks of shelving hold a full range of tradie goods, Leigh says.
“At smaller stores the range is sometimes compromised,” he said.
The retail area is vast and airconditioned. The lower level holds the aisles for such things as plumbing, hardware, power tools, kitchen cabinetry and other hardcore hardware.
It’s the usual line-up in the usual way expected from a neat and orderly warehouse. Apart from the soaring ceilings above the check-outs. And the excellent, elevated view of the street from the entry foyer (expect a lot of “just doing a spot of DIY on a lazy Sunday” Instagram portraits to be taken there — the light is excellent).
Travelling up the travelator, shoppers are treated to a bird’s eye view of the lower floor, and it’s then that the TARDIS effect takes place. It’s actually a much smaller space than I first thought.
But once upstairs, the very high ceiling with windows that wash the entire top floor with natural light. Leigh says the roof was designed to echo the rooflines of Newstead’s traditional warehouses.
Products with a home decor and lifestyle feel are kept up here, from barbecues, to wallpaper and paint, lighting, and plants.
And there is also the parent-saving children’s playground and cafe.
A large part of the retail floor is occupied by outdoor living, to reflect Brisbane’s enviable lifestyle.
“We carry smaller barbecues and more compact outdoor settings to accommodate apartment living as well,” Leigh said.
Leigh says the store carries about 60 styles of barbecues, with most — but not all — set up in store. He says it took 25 people eight hours to assemble the barbies on display.
“Some of the barbecues come partially assembled, but some we had to do from scratch,” he said, adding that if customers did buy a barbie, you could hire someone to assemble it for you at your home.
Beyond the barbies and the outdoor settings is the nursery, which has to have one of the most unusual views for any garden centre anywhere. Because it’s on the roof of the first floor, people can browse the aisles of plants while taking in the view of Newstead and the city beyond. It’s lovely — and actually a pretty pleasant place to be on a stinking hot autumn day, as it turns out.
While the range doesn’t look as extensive as other Bunnings sites, it covers all the main categories of plants needed in a small garden.
But Leigh says we have to head inside to see the hot trend of the moment in plants.
“Indoor plants are trending, as well as artificial plants,” he said.
He probably saw my look of horror, because he added, “no, really, they look really good, lifelike”.
Leigh walked me back past the barbies to a large section of artificial plants. Some I had to touch to see if they were actually made of plastic.
“They have really changed,” he said, taking down a large square of plastic green leaves attached to a rubber tile.
“These are used to create artificial green walls,” he said. “They are really popular.
“And orchids,” he says, picking up a white orchid that looked pretty real, “they are one of the hardest plants to grow. But this looks real.” The 75cm large white orchid retails for $39.98 each.
OPENING PARTY
The Grand Opening weekend festivities will continue throughout two weekends in March with a range of fun-filled activities for the whole family on offer:
SATURDAY, MARCH 16
• 9am-3pm: Jumping Castle, Giant Games, Magic Show, Animal Farm, face painting, Sno Cones, popcorn, lolly bags
• 11am-2pm: Matt Golinski Meet & Greet
Sunday 17 March
• 9am-3pm: Jumping Castle, Giant Games, Magic Show, Animal Farm, face painting, Sno Cones, popcorn, lolly bags
• 11am-2pm: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – Donatello & Michaelangelo Meet & Greet
• 11am-1pm: Ruby The Little Red Ice-Cream Van
Saturday 23 March
• 9am-2pm: Jumping Castle, Giant Games, Magic Show, Animal Farm, face painting, Sno Cones, popcorn, lolly bags
• 11am-2pm: Bumblebee Meet & Greet
• 11am-1pm: Bike ‘n’ Blend Smoothie Machines
SUNDAY, MARCH 24
• 9am-2pm: Jumping Castle, Giant Games, Magic Show, Animal Farm, face painting, Sno Cones, popcorn, lolly bags
• 11am-2pm: Gabi Simpson & Gretel Tippett Meet & Greet
Bunnings Warehouse Newstead is located at 142-160 Breakfast Creek Rd, Newstead, QLD, 4006.
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