Ferntree Gully’s Mountain Gate Shopping Centre on Ferntree Gully Rd popular with shoppers
While Mountain Gate Shopping Centre is loved by locals, shoppers have made their wish list for the popular strip. What would you like to see?
Outer East
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A call for more fresh produce stores at a Ferntree Gully shopping centre has topped shoppers wish list at the popular strip.
While it is pretty obvious the community loves Mountain Gate Shopping Centre, there are a few things consumers want to see improved.
When Knox Leader asked readers on Facebook what they loved and what they wanted to see improved at the Ferntree Gully centre as part of our Love Where You Shop campaign, it received a huge response.
Kirsty Susan said: “Love our shopping centre but wish it looked as pretty as it did when we moved here in 2002 with the lights around the shops that would be turned on at night.”
“Need to bring back the butcher and fresh fruit and vegetable places.
“Restaurants are amazing — Montania our favourite over the last 17 years living here.”
Julie Sheean also wanted to see more fresh produce in the centre and the facilities updated.
“Great shopping strip. Public toilets need to be improved and how good would it be if there was a fruit and vegie shop,” Ms Sheean said.
An update to the Coles supermarket and carpark improvement are also on the list.
Karen Davies said better parking was needed and an upgraded playground.
“Coles needs to be refurbished or the store demolished and rebuilt,” Ms Davies said.
While Liz Hussey said it would be great to have the sections of the centre connected to make it easier for shoppers to drive around.
“I know there’s a road that goes through the middle but there’s got to be a better way,” she said.
Mountain Gate Shopping Centre trader association president Steve Coster said the precinct was a thriving centre with a lot of variety.
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He said all the shops were independently owned, either by the trader or rented to businesses.
“We’d love all those shops they talk about but they don’t support them,” Mr Coster said.
“You can only have shops people use.”
He said people shopped for convenience and it was getting more difficult for the butcher businesses to survive.
He said there had been a butcher who left after his rent became too expensive.
Coles did not reply to a request for comment.