‘Big deal’: Major retailer announced for Toowoomba centre

A Toowoomba shopping centre has revealed the large retailer set to open in the coming months, just days after Starbucks opened, as part of a major development worth $40 million.

An industry leading retailer has signed a deal with a Toowoomba shopping centre as part of its multimillion dollar revitalisation project.

Pet supplies company Petbarn will open its second store in the region in the coming months after the retail giant signed an eight year lease with a five-year option at Wilsonton Shopping Centre.

Co-owned by Consolidated Properties Group and CVS Lane, the centre has been in its second stage of the $25 million redevelopment since August last year.

The tenancy announcement comes just days after a drive-through Starbucks opened at the precinct, joining the 7-Eleven service station and a 24 hour car wash business.

Petbarn has been announced as the next retailer set to join Starbucks, 7-Eleven and a 24-hour car wash, as part of the second stage of the Wilsonton Shopping Centre development.

Petbarn will be the largest space to date, encompassing 850 sqm of the 2163 sqm site on the corner of Bridge St and Richmond Drive.

CPG national manager of retail leasing Rob Clifton said the addition of Petbarn was a “very big deal” not only for the centre, but the Toowoomba region too.

TPG Capital which owns the pet retailer as well as vet clinic Greencross, has an asset value exceeding $100 billion.

“From a landlord perspective we’re very excited to have that calibre of tenant as well as Starbucks and 7-Eleven,” Mr Clifton said.

“The pet industry has obviously had a huge growth spurt with the amount of people adopting pets during Covid-19 and this retailer has seen that growth creating a real need for a second store in the region.”

Petbarn has been announced as the next retailer set to join Starbucks, 7-Eleven and a 24-hour car wash, as part of the second stage of the Wilsonton Shopping Centre development.

Mr Clifton said he was looking for a gym, car servicing or automotive business to fill the remaining 400 sqm tenancies.

“We do our market research to tell us where the gaps are and the research determined those services, as well as Petbarn, were very high on the list that locals were chasing,” he said.

“Hopefully we will be looking to finalise and announce those final tenants in the next month.”

Petbarn is expected to open in August, as the centre’s second stage of construction nears completion.

CPG and CVS Lane purchased the centre in 2018 when the first stage of the project commenced to create an outdoor dining precinct and improve the centre facade.

More than 40 specialty stores along with Coles and Woolworths are based inside the precinct.

The Petbarn store on Ruthven St.