Harris Farm, Victoria’s Basement on Parramatta shoppers’ wish list
From technology giants to popular gourmet groceries and chocolatiers, these are the stores needed to reinvent the main street of Sydney’s second CBD.
Parramatta
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An Apple technology store, Haigh’s Chocolates, Harris Farm fruit shop — these are just some of the retail drawcards to make you want to get the wallet out and embark on a shopping spree outside of Westfield Parramatta.
Business Western Sydney and Parramatta Council are teaming up to devise ways to entice businesses to Church St and give it a new lease of life after the chaotic light rail construction and the coronavirus drove out restaurants such as Ray and Lou’s, Liana’s and Sicilian.
But it has also triggered positive change.
“The end of light rail construction on Church St is the opportune time for this retail strip to reinvent itself,’’ Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said.
“We should be seeking to entice some of the great retailers in Australia to set up shop and take part in the transformation of Parramatta.’’
Parramatta’s workforce is set to be bolstered with the completion of the $3.2 billion Parramatta Square redevelopment and employees who fuel demand for shops and eateries.
“Parramatta has a surging residential and office worker population,’’ Mr Borger said.
“Variety and choice throughout the city is the best way to deliver a diverse and exciting retail offering.’’
Parramatta Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer wants to see more upmarket businesses, not $2 shops, complement the Church St dining strip, which will reopen to alfresco dining in August when the rail construction wraps up.
Western Sydney Women founder Amanda Rose suggested the council create a working committee with landlords to make the project a reality.
Here is the wish list:
APPLE STORE
Despite its expanding corporate community, Western Sydney University campus, student population and pretty much any one of us plugged into Apple products, this tech giant has no presence in Parramatta.
It’s time that changed, Mr Borger said.
“It used to be said you weren’t really a city until you had a cathedral. In the 21st century, you aren’t a real city if don’t have an Apple Store,’’ he said.
“It is bizarre that Penrith and Hornsby have Apple Stores but not Parramatta.’’
HARRIS FARM FRUIT MARKET
In the early 2000s, fruit lovers’ emporium Harris Farm occupied the former David Jones building with aisles of fresh produce, bread, dairy, delicatessen goods and gourmet groceries overlooking the Parramatta River.
Since it closed about 2007, Parramatta’s population has soared with more residents moving into high-rise towers such as the Meriton and the community is more health conscious, giving weight to its comeback.
“It’s time to bring Harris Farm back to where it all began in western Sydney,’’ Mr Borger said.
“The demand for fresh produce is insatiable and they have the best deli offer.’’
Once stocking up on greens, shoppers can relax with a coffee at a cafe just like the one attached to the former fruit shop.
VICTORIA’S BASEMENT/PETER’S OF KENSINGTON
Homewares heaven. Whether you want to splurge on a set of Swiss knives, buy the essentials for your new Parramatta pad or a pair of glasses for chopping the onions, all homemakers will find something useful at these long established businesses.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us one important lesson – you can never have enough cookware,’’ Mr Borger said.
“For those weekends when you are in need of a new frying pan a Victoria’s Basement in downtown Parramatta would come in very handy.’’
CUE, SPORTSCRAFT
Chic Australian label Cue has elevated the wardrobe of many women for decades and the brand would be welcome among Parramatta’s sophisticated employees.
“We need wholefoods stores, more healthy style cafes and stores that professionals would want like Cue, Sportscraft,’’ Western Sydney Women executive and Small Business Women Australia founder Amanda Rose said.
“We need to cater to the people who are currently working and living in Parramatta and also make it more attractive for people to visit that (Church St) strip.’’
HAIGH’S CHOCOLATE
Sometimes your sugar cravings need a high end fix. Cue luxury chocolatier Haigh’s and its rows and rows of chocolate frogs, cappuccino logs, assorted slabs, coated almonds alongside more unusual offerings.
Alfred Haigh started the company in 1915 and it has grown to employ 650 people nationwide. It opened its most recent shop at Castle Towers, Castle Hill, in December and has seven stores in Sydney, but with no outlets in the west, it’s time to make a sweet debut in Parramatta.
ALDI
There’s always a market for confectionary and bargain groceries and while Romeo’s IGA replaced the Aldi at George St two years ago, it’s hard to beat the popularity of the discount supermarket.
“Aldi was supposed to be moving in Westfield but it never eventuated,’’ Mr Borger said.
“The regeneration of Church St is a great opportunity for the return of Aldi.’’
Bring on the weekly special buys.
DE COSTI’S
Aussies love their seafood, from casual prawns to some omega-3- filled tuna and indulgent oysters.
Having fresh food alongside restaurants would diversify Church St and draw foodies who love to cook as well as dine out.
“No food offer is complete without the classic De Costi’s seafood,’’ Mr Borger said.
“It would be great to have something on the main street.”
EL JANNAH
The waft of charcoal chicken has filled Granville since 1998 when the flagship Lebanese eatery opened and has since spread with branches across Sydney including Penrith, Campbelltown, Smithfield and Blacktown.
Sure, it’s not far to travel to many of these but Parramatta’s appetite for chicken, tabouleh and that signature aioli during a work lunch break or on the way to the footy is crying out for our own El Jannah.
“The poster child of western Sydney’s multicultural culinary offer – Parramatta is not complete until we have a El Jannah’s,’’ Mr Borger said.
Agreed.
TK MAXX
Everyone loves a bargain and TK MAXX delivers with brand name men’s, women’s and children's fashion, shoes, luggage, homewares, lingerie and accessories “for a whole lot less that a department store’’.
Their online blurb pledges affordable prices every day. “Our buyers are opportunistic and entrepreneurial so when a designer overproduces or other stories overbuy, we swoop in, negotiate the lowest possible price, and pass the savings on.’’
The company has more than 4300 stores across the globe, with buying power that can source products from over 21,000 vendors in 100 countries to deliver great savings.
We think Parramatta’s the perfect candidate for store 4301.
SUPA IGA FOOD HALL
A luxury, European-inspired IGA supermarket (Locali IGA) - replete with a walk-in cheese room, dine-in restaurant and wood-fired pizzas - opened in Sydney CBD's George St in April and we think it would go down a treat in Parramatta.
Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger said such a business would help entice workers back to offices after COVID-19.
“I think Parramatta’s ready for a high-end deli,'' he said.
"It’s a big city now and supermarkets are great but people are always need speciality items which you can’t always get there.
“You’ve got a growing downtown resident population now and they need to be serviced so there’s that opportunity now for the right retail, and they need to position themselves to get in first and make it a real success.''
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