Plans for ‘Jewel Village’ shop-top development to honour historic Blacktown supermarket
More than four decades after the Fleming family launched Australia’s first “food barn” supermarket, a western Sydney developer is aiming to honour the historic endeavour with a multi-multimillion-dollar project.
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A pioneering family-run supermarket in city’s northwest has been honoured by a western Sydney developer after it revealed plans to name a new multi-multimillion-dollar retail and residential project after the storied business.
Developer Tinesi Pty Ltd submitted plans to the Blacktown City Council late last year to renovate the old “Jewel Food Barn” site at 137-141 Newton Rd, Blacktown into three residential shop-top buildings collectively named “Jewel Village”, after the old supermarket.
Split between two distinct sections – “The Lane” and “The Residence” – the project will include a new supermarket, medical centre, chemist, and bottle shop, as well as a further 10 retail spaces featuring alfresco dining and underground parking for more than 200 cars.
Planning documents also reveal 64 new one, two, and three bedroom apartments will be built across two to four floors.
The project comes more than four decades after the famous Fleming family sold the Sydney wing of their supermarket chain to Woolworths before acquiring the 42-store Warmans Grocery Chain. Soon after, the family relaunched the chain as “Jewel Food Stores” discount grocers.
“Jewel was pitched as a low-price supermarket chain,” the documents reveal. “In 1990, the first stand alone ‘Jewel Food Barn’ was constructed on the Blacktown site.
“It was credited to bringing the ‘food barn’ concept to Australia.”
Launched in the early 1990s, the then-revolutionary project involved a full, market-style food sale system.
Shortly after, Jewel went on to purchase another notable local retailer: Rainbow Supermarket at Doonside.
More recently, the site served as an auto shop – Lander Spare Parts – before being turned into Lancaster Street Fruit Barn in 2013.
In 1995, Jewel Stores was sold to independent retailers and by 1998 the name was gone altogether, replaced by IGA.
But, according to the developer, many residents still recall the “Jewel Food Barn”.
“There is an acknowledgment of the former concept that existed on the site,” planning documents reveal.
“Thus, the developer intends to name the new project ‘Jewel Village’.”
Designs for the project are currently on exhibition at the Blacktown City Council website.
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