The Glen Shopping Centre: first look at $490m revamp as centre marks 50 years

THE latest Melbourne suburban shopping centre to get a major overhaul - The Glen - unveils its first stage to shoppers tomorrow. Here’s a sneak peek of what it’s going to look like.

• Shopping centre to get $490m upgrade
• Shops shut doors at The Glen
• Paid parking begins at shopping centre
• Win a $100 Glen shopping voucher

IT’S been 50 years since Glen Waverley’s biggest shopping centre opened its doors to the community.

And now The Glen is deep in the midst of a $490 million revamp involving 240 retailers.

The latest of Melbourne’s big suburban shopping centres to get a major overhaul, the centre will unveil its fresh food market hall tomorrow (Thursday) - the first stage of its redevelopment.

A food festival will be held on October 22 to celebrate.

Inside the new-look Glen.

The Glen of today.

The Glen of tomorrow.

David Jones is getting a huge facelift.

Many people still hold fond memories of doing their weekly shop at The Glen when it opened in 1967 with only a Woolworths, Lindsays, which later became Target, and a few specialty stores.

The centre - on Springvale Rd, Glen Waverley - expanded in the 1980s and ’90s with redevelopments, including the first suburban David Jones and other significant retailers.

Manager Richard Devlin said the centre was at the heart of the Glen Waverley community.

“We are looking forward to giving our customers many more reasons to keep on loving The Glen for the next 50 years,” Mr Devlin said.

He said members of The Glen Walking Group said they loved the community feel of the centre.

“They come in once or twice a week for an exercise session and stay on for a coffee and catch-up with friends and then do their weekly shop,” he said.

He said shoppers held wonderful memories of the centre.

The Glen gets an upgrade in 1990.

Target in 1991.

How Target will look after the overhaul. Picture: Supplied

“Some of our shoppers have fond memories of the centre’s grand opening, their first job and buying their future wife an engagement ring,” he said.

Eleanor Macaro, of Glen Waverley, said she had cherished memories of spending school holidays with her grandparents at The Glen.

“I remember the centre during the ’80s when I was 10, it was much smaller with only a few stores,” Mrs Macaro said.

She said she never forgets visiting the pet shop with her grandparents.

“I loved visiting the pet shop and watching school holiday shows. I’m now taking my own children to the centre, so that’s really special,” she said.

Anna Hummel, who worked at The Glen for more than nine years, said the centre had evolved over the years.

“It’s really changed so much through the decades and it’s always been one of my favourite local shopping centres,” Mrs Hummel said.

“I’ll never forget when I was 18 and got my first job at Safeway. During the 1990s, I took my children and niece there during school holidays to watch the magician shows,” she said.

The revamp follows major overhauls at major suburban centres including Eastland, Pacific Werribee and Chadstone.

Details: theglen.com.au