Sunshine Coast businesses call for support during mass closures and cost of living struggles

Small business owners are pleading for more support as Sunshine Coast’s once bustling main streets are more resembling ghost towns outside of holiday periods. Vote in our poll.

Then and now: Sunshine Coast CBDs desolate as businesses fight to stay open.

Some Sunshine Coast businesses still recovering from the pandemic are crying out for support while others are resorting to new measures as they attempt to navigate a cost of living crisis and staff shortages.

Main streets across the region once bustling and alive have turned to ghost towns following multiple business closures.

In the past six months major businesses have collapsed including Birtinya live music venue NightQuarter in November, 2022, followed by the neighbouring Malt Shovel Taphouse.

Eleven Dive Bar in the heart of Maroochydore’s night-life precinct was next to fall in December 2022 it would close down, followed by popular Ocean St venue Peak Wine Bar which went into liquidation in March.

Buderim restaurant and bar Argo was forced to close on March 17 after struggling for staff; with owner Jason Taylor revealing calls for a second chef went unanswered for more than four months.

Yellow Oak Clothing and Homewares owner Mel Williams, also in Buderim, said her Burnett St clothing boutique was one of many to suffer a decline in business, forcing her to cut costs and reduce staff hours.

She said she begun working longer hours to save on wages, but as a mum this left her with less time with family.

She said a lot of businesses had not bounced back since the pandemic and the cost of living crisis and rising interest rates were rubbing salt in the wound.

Owner of Yellow Oak Clothing and Homewares Mel Williams said a lot of businesses had not bounced back since the pandemic.

She said new clothes were among the items now being seen as a luxury.

“I feel like everyone is … keeping an eye on their spending … it’s really hard for people to come and outlay money,” she said.

She said the Burnett St businesses supported each other, but it was difficult with closures of hospitality venues which affect other retailers.

In Nambour, one business has learned to think outside the box while another is preparing for an upturn.

DownTown Burgers owner Cameron Scott said the business has been forced to think outside the box to keep drawing customers in. Photo: Social Media

DownTown Burgers owner Cameron Scott said while there had been a downturn, the restaurant was finding new ways to draw customers in.

“We understand customers want to find the best deal, so it means we’ve really got to hunt around for our best deals as well,” he said.

The biggest impact on restaurants at the moment was rising product costs, he said.

“You can order a product at one price and receive it at another price … and then you’re stuck with that more expensive product because you need it for that day,” he said.

Like Buderim, Mr Scott said the businesses in town supported each other, with one example being customers getting a $9.50 ticket to the Nambour Cinema when they buy a burger beforehand.

Majestic Cinemas CEO Kieran Dell said it was a challenge for all cinemas in Queensland, not only because of the cost of living crisis but also new films were not drawing crowds.

Mr Dell is hopeful that will change this year with several big blockbusters to come out.

Majestic Cinemas CEO Kieren Dell opens the candy bar at the Nambour Civic Centre prior to the grand opening last week.

Maroochydore Chamber of Commerce executive committee member Anita Piers said some areas were more affected than others, though she had noticed Alexandra Headland was one of the worst.

But that was not to say the seaside suburb was losing popularity, she said, as the Alex Corner and nearby hill was constantly a sea of picnic baskets and blankets.

“It (is) just packed with people enjoying that environment but obviously (they’re) taking their own food and sitting in that environment without spending the extra money,” she said.

Ms Piers said the struggles felt by all businesses were due to the cost of living crisis, staff and skill shortages, a housing crisis and issues with parking and public transport.

Ms Williams said Buderim could benefit from a council-funded rejuvenation project to make the main street more attractive.

A Sunshine Coast Council spokesperson said the council supported several programs to help businesses; including the Level Up Your Business website, which provided information on grants and funding.

They said the council’s 2023 Regional Economic Development Strategy Review was also under way.

It comes after the council launched the Sunshine Coast Jobs Hub and the Student Jobs Hub to connect employers to job seekers.

“Staff shortages are a big factor in business stress at this time,” they said.

Businesses experiencing financial distress are advised to contact services from other levels of Government, such as the Queensland Small Business Financial Counsellor.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast businesses call for support during mass closures and cost of living struggles