Redland Bay family chemist first to open in new Woolworths shopping complex

A small bayside village has come of age with the first shop opening in a massive two-level Woolworths complex towering over the waterfront. SEE THE SNEAK PEEK VIDEO

A state-of-the-art chemist and wellbeing centre, complete with a robot, is the first shop to open in a massive new $25 million Woolworths complex towering over the bayside’s waterfront.

Redland Bay WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods is one of the anchor tenants at the two-level centre, which will include an automated Woolworths, al fresco cafes, bottle shop and a gym.

Workers put the finishing touches on a massive atrium which will become an outdoor eatery and cafe area in front of the new Woolworths at Redland Bay.

Shoppers can use a travelator from the underground carpark to the upstairs full-line Woolworths, which will cover 3400 sqm offering more than 7600 products.

The village complex is twice the size of the former shopping centre, expanding from 4168 sqm to about 8518 sqm.

Shoppers and visitors to the area will be able to dine outside the shopping centre with fish and chips, Thai, Chinese, hot chicken, Domino’s, Subway, a bakery, restaurants, an oven-baked pizza parlour, and a bottle shop upstairs.

Two medical centres will continue to service the complex which also includes a QML Pathology, Australia Post, two real estate agents, hairdresser, barber and news agency.

Redland Bay chemist Fiona Watson, her mother Evelyn and sister Shona, own and run the state-of-the-art Redland Bay WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods store, the first to open in the new $25million Woolworths complex opposite the waterfront. The chemist shop includes a WholeLife clinic, and private booths to talk with the pharmacist along with a robot to deliver prescriptions.

The popular Redland Bay Discount Drug Store, relocated during construction, was rebranded as the wellness centre, and was the first to open in the new complex this week.

Along with offering vitamins, health tonics, crystals, organic foods and vegetarian substitutes, a key feature will be private dispensing booths where customers can talk to a chemist about their scripts.

Another feature is a robotic dispensary, which automatically collects prescriptions from the store’s warehouse and dispatches them to the front counter.

Pharmacist Evelyn Watson and her daughters Fiona Watson and Shona Volker have run the business in the heart of Redland Bay for 25 years but were ready to update their image when the new premises opened.

Pharmacist Fiona Watson said the new line of products would attract more people into Redland Bay and the automated system would free her up to help customers find the health products they needed.

A state-of-the-art chemist and wellbeing centre, complete with a robot, is the first shop to open in a massive new $25 million Woolworths complex towering over the bayside’s waterfront.

“The WholeLife chemist brand will allow us to offer all our traditional pharmacy services including community care and expert advice, as well as significantly increasing our focus on natural beauty, healthy eating, sustainable living, sports nutrition and lifestyle products,” she said.

“This is really exciting for Redland Bay, our expanded offering will now include many popular brands that were previously hard-to-find in the Redland Bay area.

“We have also made some investments in new technology, namely the addition of the dispensary robot.

“This will allow the pharmacists to be more accessible and available, and will be one of the first in Redland City.

“This new technology manages the stock, so our highly qualified staff can help people with their health.”

More than 100 car parks will be available in the underground carpark which will include an electric charging station.

The chemist is running a competition to name the robot with the winning name announced at the shopping centre’s Grand Opening in April.

Under the WholeLife brand, the Redland Bay chemist will continue its home delivery service six days a week to Redland Bay, Victoria Point and Mount Cotton.

The chemist will also continue its vaccination program and has a special clinic room and reception.

The new complex will also include a gym and an electric vehicle charging station.

Developer Fox and Bell Group director Gary Hargrave said despite extended rain delays and lockdowns, construction was currently on program and believed the centre would fully open in May.