Coronavirus pushes small Chapel St businesses to close
Chapel St traders were already struggling to make ends meet with high rent and low foot traffic. Now the coronavirus crisis has tipped many in the once bustling shopping mecca over the edge, with several big name stores forced to close.
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The coronavirus lockdown has devastated Chapel St traders already crippled by high rents and changes in shopping behaviour.
After the Victorian government tightened restrictions preventing cafes and restaurants from seating up to 50 people, more stores on the popular strip have taken another blow.
“Chapel Street Precinct is not in a hot spot for the virus and many of our businesses have now lost more money preparing for today, thinking they would have increased patrons and pre bought food is now going to charities,” Chapel St Precinct general manager Chrissie Maus said.
Dily Daly cafe owner Melissa Glentis said bookings were now being cancelled.
“We have had a few cancellations of bookings because people feel too afraid to go out, which just means yet another drop in revenue,” she said.
“What it also means is we have to start preparing ourselves for another potential lockdown. “As a cafe owner I’m just constantly on edge worrying about what we have to deal with next, with potentially little to no notice. I’m tired and just want to be able to sleep again at night.”
Earlier this month, fashion retailers, cafes and restaurants and beauty salons were among the businesses forced to close on the luxe shopping strip because of COVID-19 restrictions.
South Yarra stores between Toorak and Commercial roads were the hardest hit — with 16 vacant or empty shopfronts, and 11 restaurants and cafes and five fashion retailers also shut.
But on Chapel St in Prahran and Windsor, it was business as usual with few retailers closed.
Many reopened last week after restrictions eased to allow restaurants and cafes to seat 20 people.
The Herald Sun counted last week a total of 37 restaurants, cafes, bars or takeaway stores had closed and 39 stores were either vacant or for lease along Chapel St.
A further 22 fashion retailers, including high-end brands Cue and Alice McCall, eight beauty salons, hairdressers or barbers and six service stores, like Telstra and STA Travel, had closed.
Stores counted included those with signs in the front window saying they’d shut because of coronavirus or those that appeared permanently closed.
But Chapel St Precinct Association (CSPA) said only 12 retailers had shut their doors in the last seven weeks because of COVID-19 including Flight Centre Prahran, Aje, Street Machine and Alice McCall. Two new beauty businesses had also opened in recent weeks.
Traders said problems with high rent and dwindling foot traffic were amplified by the coronavirus lockdown.
Prahran’s Floral Plant on Chapel owner Tai Hoang is keeping his business of eight months open to pay rent.
“There’s no real option for us, our rent is too high and we need to make money where we can,” he said.
Business at fashion store Olga de Polga, located on the other side of Commercial Rd, has thrived because of coronavirus.
“A lot more people who used to come in store now shop online, and those who shopped online are coming into the store. It’s kind of brought our community together in a nice way,” employee Nicola Rough said.
Little Tim Tam restaurant co-owner Tim Tam dons a bright pink wig and dances in the street to cheer up other Chapel St traders.
“We’ve been selling cheap meals every day and giving free meals to staff at other businesses,” he said.
CSPA general manager Chrissie Maus said the South Yarra end of Chapel St was transitioning.
“Chapel St is transitioning to an entertainment and lifestyle street. It is now a place to go out for unique retail, brunch, dinner, for beauty and go to the gym,” she said.
Ms Maus said JobKeeper had saved many Chapel St retailers.
“I think it would be naive to think that we have potentially gone through the hardest time yet,” she said.
“I’d plead to the government to extend JobKeeper, or make it very clear that this is the reason why so many businesses have survived. It’s more important than ever that we ask our community to support local”
SHOP CLOSURES BY NUMBERS
Restaurants, cafes, bars, takeaway food: 37
AMBA Cafe, Brother Burger, Leo’s by the Slice
Fashion, retail: 22
Cue, Alice McCall, Street Machine
Beauty services, hair salons, barbers: 8
Other service (mobile shops, travel centres): 6
Telstra, STA Travel
Vacant shopfronts: 39
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