In a tough year for businesses, here are 15 Toowoomba region enterprises who shut their doors

With a pandemic raging around the world, it was always going to be a difficult year for businesses – though that wasn’t necessarily the reason that some closed.

With a pandemic raging around the world, it was always going to be a difficult year for businesses – though that wasn’t always the reason that some closed.

Here are the Toowoomba enterprises who shut up shop for good in 2020.

Sizzler

Staff members Niki Ryan (left) and Abul Deng serve Sizzlers iconic cheesy toast on the last day of trading before Sizzler restaurants close, Sunday, November 15, 2020. Picture: Kevin Farmer

News of Sizzler's impending closure in November ironically meant the restaurant’s final days of trade were among its busiest in recent times.

But unfortunately, as parent company Collins Foods realised earlier in the year, you can’t run a business entirely on nostalgia.

The nine final Sizzler stores – once part of a buffet-style food empire that covered the nation, closed on November 15.

Emeraude

Emeraude at Hampton, owned by Amanda Hinds, was named on the Delicious 100 Top Qld restaurants list. Photo Bev Lacey

There was a collective outpouring of grief among foodies in Toowoomba and South East Queensland when Emeraude in August announced it was no longer able to operate from its location on the New England Highway at Hampton.

Owned and operated by the Hinds family, the restaurant was one of Queensland’s best before an issue with a septic tank forced its closure.

But Emeraude is not gone for good.

They hosted a successful pop-up restaurant at Bunnyconnellen during the Carnival of Flowers and will hopefully “pop-up” again soon.

Bags to Go

The cancellation of travel had a huge impact on Bags to Go, a national luggage outlet, which went into voluntary administration in July.

The company operated a store in Margaret St.

Dimmeys

Dipper starred in Dimmeys' ads in the '80s.

In those brief few months of 2020 before the world was consumed by news of COVID-19, Dimmeys shut its Toowoomba store for good.

The 166-year-old national chain of stores announced in November 2019 that it would be shutting down.

In the ’80s, Dimmeys recruited AFL legend Robert “Dipper” DiPierdomenico to star in its famous, low-budget ad campaigns.

The Toowoomba store closed on January 18.

Michelle’s Cafe

Like many hospitality businesses in Toowoomba, Michelle’s Cafe temporarily closed back in March due to government regulations surrounding COVID-19.

It reopened in late May offering takeaway coffee and meals, however it was not to be and closed just a few months later.

HTQ Civil Pipe Mining

Hotshots Transport Queensland trading as HTQ Civil Pipe Mining went into members voluntary liquidation.

Toowoomba civil construction company Hotshot Transport Queensland, which traded as HTQ Civil Pipe Mining, went into liquidation on June 30.

Roughly five employees lost their jobs.

The business was wound up due to “irreconcilable differences” between the directors.

Bubmania

JUST FOR BABY: Donna Scott, owner of Bubmania, in 2016.

Toowoomba baby retail store Bubmania shut its doors at the end of June.

Owner Donna Scott said the move was symptomatic of the struggles felt by the remaining independent baby retailers in Queensland.

“It is more about the fact that it’s getting harder for the independent businesses to compete against the buying power of larger chains,” she said.

Jaybelle Home Decor and Gifts

A stunning home decor and gift shop closed its doors after a decade operating in Highfields.

Jaybelle Home Decor and Gifts’ final day of trade was June 28.

Radio Rentals

Radio Rentals stores across Australia closed permanently in mid-April, putting hundreds of staff out of work as COVID-19 crippled the retail sector.

Radio Rentals’ parent company Thorn Group told the stock market the company would permanently close all its stores and warehouses and instead expand its online presence.

Eighteen Queensland stores were among those shuttered, including one in Toowoomba.

Ausprout Group

A Toowoomba company was placed in liquidation after Ahrens Group successfully applied to wind up the company in the South Australian Federal Court.

Ausprout Group Pty Ltd, which lists its director as Ryan Jeffrey Watts of Greenmount, was placed into liquidation on April 29.

A Report on Company Activities and Property said the company owed $280k to creditors, including $200,000 to Mr Watts.

Homestead Highfields

Toowoomba businessman Mark Peart.

A land development company headed by Toowoomba businessman Mark Peart that was to undertake a multimillion-dollar project north of Toowoomba went into liquidation in May.

Homestead Highfields was placed in voluntary administration by Mr Peart on April 21 and later went into liquidation.

According to liquidator Jason Bettles of Worrells Solvency and Forensic Accountants, the company had no assets, and owed 10 unsecured creditors $526,192.

Kedemeke Pty Ltd

Toowoomba automotive business Kedemeke Pty Ltd went bust owing roughly $50,000 to creditors, including $23,000 to two employees. The company was placed in liquidation as a result of Sensis Pty Ltd applying to the court to wind up the company over an unpaid debt.

Yabba Refrigerated Transport

Toowoomba refrigerated transport company Yabba Refrigerated Transport collapsed owing approximately $1 million, according to the liquidator.

WTC Advisory’s Andrew Weatherley was appointed liquidator of the company on January 22 this year.

KBH Enterprises

FOR more than 40 years, KBH Enterprises and its earlier incarnations had been assisting people with disabilities and mental illnesses to develop valuable skills.

But on March 31 this year, Toowoomba’s longest-standing social enterprise was no longer, succumbing to changes to funding streams and a lack of sales.

KBH began as an occupational therapy unit within the grounds of Baillie Henderson hospital several decades ago.

Bullzeye

Bullzeye closed its doors in March.

Bullzeye stores across the country, and in Toowoomba, closed their doors in March.

The western clothing and accessories company had physical stores in Rockhampton, Townsville, Bundaberg, Toowoomba and Mackay with a warehouse in Murrarie for online orders.

The Engine Room cafe

Engine Room Caf owner and chef Terry Jennings with the Mega-dict. April 2018.

The Engine Room cafe closed its doors permanently in early April. After running the cafe for five years, owner Terry Jennings made the heartbreaking decision to permanently close after the impacts of COVID-19 led to him losing 80 per cent of his business.