Centreway Arcade: Plant shop, antiques dealer call precinct home

The revival of a previously unloved shopping arcade is continuing, with a new retailer, the first of its kind in the CBD, debuting and another being fit out. Further renovations are also slated.

Plant Envy: Sharon and Shane Cornelius with daughters Paije and Iaelah Rice. Sharon opened Launceston CBD's only plant store on November 8, 2022. Picture: Alex Treacy

A Tasmanian mother-of-three who was in a “rut” having worked decades in admin roles since graduating from school has fulfilled her green dream, throwing open the doors to a plant store which is already helping revive foot traffic to a shopping arcade.

Riverside woman Sharon Cornelius unveiled Plant Envy, in Launceston CBD’s historic Centreway Arcade, on November 8.

So successful has Plant Envy been in its six weeks of existence that Ms Cornelius is already in negotiations with the arcade owners to upgrade to a larger tenancy.

“Going in, we thought if we can just sell $100–$200 plants a day to cover rent, that’s okay,” she said.

“As long as we cover rent, the rest is enjoyment.

“On Saturday, we sold more than $2000 worth of plants.

“When we’re talking $20 a plant, that’s a lot of customers.”

Another major seller of Ms Cornelius’ has been her handmade hampers.

“We make them to order, you just let us know your budget. We put in wine, chocolate, plants. We just make them for whatever, birthdays, weddings,” she said.

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It’s axiomatic that team work makes the dream work, and never has that been truer than at Plant Envy – when the Mercury stopped by, Ms Cornelius’ husband Shane was buzzing around, as were daughters Paije and Iaelah Rice.

Ms Cornelius said it was Shane – a recruiter who cashed in his leave to help with the grunt work getting the business off the ground – who helped give her the confidence to chase business success.

Centreway Arcade's newest tenant, Plant Envy. Picture: Alex Treacy

“I didn’t always want to be a business owner. That was the part that scared me. But I was in a rut with admin, and my husband said, that’s it, let’s do it. He is my biggest supporter. Without him, I wouldn’t have taken the jump,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Mercury can reveal another tenancy is in the process of being upgraded for a new business to call home. This will be an antiques dealer, located in the former The Health Shop Launceston store.

The two new retailers come after a significant injection of time and capital from the arcade’s owners.

A fit-out is under way for an antiques dealer to move into Centreway Arcade, the site of the former The Health Shop Launceston. Picture: Alex Treacy

The Edwards sisters, Sam and Angela, previously told the Mercury they took over a 50 per cent stake in the arcade from their father, Commercial Equity Group chief executive Tony Seymour, earlier this year.

Centreway Arcade Launceston co-owners Sam and Angela Edwards. Picture: Supplied

Since then, they have undertaken a suite of renovations, including upgraded lighting, doors and paint, to return the 1952 arcade back to its glory days.

Angela Edwards said the next stage in the renovations would be opening up Joseph Yared’s Lebanese Gourmet and Grill tenancy – formerly Bao Time – onto Brisbane Arcade Courtyard.

Centreway Arcade Launceston, circa 2016. Picture: Facebook

She said the owners maintained their standing offer to any prospective tenants, that they would offer support for any upgrades needed to get a new business over the line, such as new flooring or upgraded plumbing.