15 August 2013

Expansion for Westfield Woden

| johnboy
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The Australian has word of big changes in Woden:

Westfield Woden is one of the largest in Canberra. The 72,300sq m centre includes a David Jones department store, a Big W discount department store, Coles and Woolworths supermarkets, a cinema complex and more than 200 specialty retailers.

The proposed improvements will include a new bus station connected with a larger Westfield centre. Works are expected to be completed by mid-2016.

At a forum last year, Westfield revealed a plan to buy about 7000sq m of land from the ACT government for the proposed expansion.

The move would add about 30,000sq m of retail space to the existing centre and includes a new Myer department store, a new discount department store, supermarket and fresh food stores, fashion stores and general retail.

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Madam Cholet said :

My most recent memory is of the version in Tuggers which seemed to be held together at the end by gaffer tape. At least it was plastered all over the fraying carpets.

Sounds about right, companies grade there stores which defines stock range and fit out and initially the Tuggers one was meant to be a Metro grade store. Not sure how long that lasted because throughout the late 90s until closure, it was dropped to a regional grade store.

Poor upkeep and range over at Belco Myer is a head scratcher.

Madam Cholet10:16 am 27 Nov 13

Only my mother in law shops in Myer or DJs. And thankfully she’s no where near Woden, so.wont have the pleasure of perusing their overpriced goods. My most recent memory is of the version in Tuggers which seemed to be held together at the end by gaffer tape. At least it was plastered all over the fraying carpets.

Let’s face it, shops are only used these days as showrooms so you can see an item before you buy it online.

Grace Bros bought Youngs in 1979.

Myer bought Grace Bros in 1983, at which time the Belco Myer was rebranded Grace Bros.

In 1985, Grace Bros chose to rebrand the Young stores as Grace Bros. Sometime after this, Youngs also closed two Owl Discount Supermarkets that ran as subsidiaries.

In 1987, Grace Bros announced their Woden store was moving along with their Woden sister store Fosseys to the Tuggeranong Hyperdome. Management and all 150 staff of the Woden GB store were moved to Tuggeranong and the fixtures and stock were transferred over a 10-12 week period.

Then 1987-1988, Allens made an offer to buy a number of the GB (formerly Youngs) stores which was successful, lawsuits not withstanding.

Also in 1988, the decision was made to close Grace Bros East Row and Kingston in light of new Canberra Centre location where staff were transferred to.

Growling Ferret7:50 pm 26 Nov 13

maxblues said :

Holden Caulfield said :

Gee, and I thought retail was struggling.

There seems to be another business closing every week at Westfield Belconnen.

I walked through what was previously known as DFO today.

More staff than customers, and more closed shops than I had seen before. Its starting to look a lot like Bland Depot before it shut.

c_c™ said :

The latest update from Myer is the store is now slated for a 2015 opening, assumedly this is also when the rest of the Westfield extension will be completed, all seems to have gone quiet.

Turns out this would mark Myer’s return to Woden, discovered today that Grace Bros (which was bought by Myer in 1983) used to inhabit the area in the vicinity of the present day food court. Closed down 1987 in order to move to Tuggeranong where it seems retailers thought a gold-mine awaited.

It didn’t really close down to move to Tuggeranong. As someone else has mentioned the shop used to be a Youngs which was a local department store brand. Grace Bros brought Youngs for what ever reason and then closed down a couple of smaller shops, Woden being one of them. So wasn’t a Grace Bros for very long at all.

Other Youngs stores that went to Grace Bros brand were in Dickson (later sold to Allens and now Harris Scarf), two in the City, (one in the bus interchange and one in Garama Place), these were closed in 1989 when the Canberra centre opened and one in QBN. Not sure about other shops down south.

switch said :

I remember when you could walk through Woden Plaza and not have to detour around the stands selling socks and foxtel…

I can too. That was before socks and foxtel…

Holden Caulfield said :

Gee, and I thought retail was struggling.

There seems to be another business closing every week at Westfield Belconnen.

switch said :

I remember when you could walk through Woden Plaza and not have to detour around the stands selling socks and foxtel…

I remember in late 1974 when the colour TV test programs were on. On Friday nights CTC7 showed a country and western variety show called Travlin’ Out West in colour hosted by John Williamson, and the electrical store on the ground floor of Clock Court had a colour TV at the front of the store. I remember standing with a group in front of the TV and looking behind me and seeing huge crowds on the floor above looking over the railings at the TV.

I remember when you could walk through Woden Plaza and not have to detour around the stands selling socks and foxtel…

Growling Ferret said :

c_c™ said :

The latest update from Myer is the store is now slated for a 2015 opening, assumedly this is also when the rest of the Westfield extension will be completed, all seems to have gone quiet.

Turns out this would mark Myer’s return to Woden, discovered today that Grace Bros (which was bought by Myer in 1983) used to inhabit the area in the vicinity of the present day food court. Closed down 1987 in order to move to Tuggeranong where it seems retailers thought a gold-mine awaited.

And before it was Grace Brothers, I believe it was JB Youngs.

Correct. And part of JB Youngs was a supermarket called Owl Discount Market.

puggy said :

Growling Ferret said :

Turns out this would mark Myer’s return to Woden, discovered today that Grace Bros (which was bought by Myer in 1983) used to inhabit the area in the vicinity of the present day food court.

c_c™ said :

And before it was Grace Brothers, I believe it was JB Youngs.

While reluctantly realising how old I am getting, I can confirm both. A Youngs, then GBs, entrance was in the corner on the opposite side of the court to where Just Jeans is now. I forget which one was Palm Court and which one was Clock Court. Obviously the one with the clock was Clock Court, but my memories are vague as to which one that was.

Palm Court was the one that exits into the Town Square, rumour has it that it was originally meant to be 4 levels and space was left for it to be complete later. The shape of the roof and half finished level three are similar to what Stage 1 of Belco Mall looked like prior to the completion of the third level so reason to believe it’s true.

Clock Court was outside Big W.

Growling Ferret said :

Turns out this would mark Myer’s return to Woden, discovered today that Grace Bros (which was bought by Myer in 1983) used to inhabit the area in the vicinity of the present day food court.

c_c™ said :

And before it was Grace Brothers, I believe it was JB Youngs.

While reluctantly realising how old I am getting, I can confirm both. A Youngs, then GBs, entrance was in the corner on the opposite side of the court to where Just Jeans is now. I forget which one was Palm Court and which one was Clock Court. Obviously the one with the clock was Clock Court, but my memories are vague as to which one that was.

thebrownstreak6910:15 am 26 Nov 13

Wonderful, one day all we will have left is malls. Huge, soul destroying concrete monoliths dedicated to mindless consumerism.

Have you ever seen the really big outlet malls scattered across the US? OK for a one off hit to fill your bags, but soulless and boring beyond belief for normal shopping.

Growling Ferret9:16 am 26 Nov 13

c_c™ said :

The latest update from Myer is the store is now slated for a 2015 opening, assumedly this is also when the rest of the Westfield extension will be completed, all seems to have gone quiet.

Turns out this would mark Myer’s return to Woden, discovered today that Grace Bros (which was bought by Myer in 1983) used to inhabit the area in the vicinity of the present day food court. Closed down 1987 in order to move to Tuggeranong where it seems retailers thought a gold-mine awaited.

And before it was Grace Brothers, I believe it was JB Youngs.

The latest update from Myer is the store is now slated for a 2015 opening, assumedly this is also when the rest of the Westfield extension will be completed, all seems to have gone quiet.

Turns out this would mark Myer’s return to Woden, discovered today that Grace Bros (which was bought by Myer in 1983) used to inhabit the area in the vicinity of the present day food court. Closed down 1987 in order to move to Tuggeranong where it seems retailers thought a gold-mine awaited.

HiddenDragon said :

An interesting announcement on the same day that we have news of a reduction in the number of employees in the Woden area:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/public-servants-told-400-must-go-20130814-2rx8t.html

I think it was a slow news day in Canberra, this news was known last week.

mr reason said :

“Westfield Woden is one of the largest in Canberra.”

one of the largest what? surely not Westfields. aren’t there just two of them?

press release must have been written by the AFP

HiddenDragon11:18 am 15 Aug 13

An interesting announcement on the same day that we have news of a reduction in the number of employees in the Woden area:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/public-servants-told-400-must-go-20130814-2rx8t.html

Holden Caulfield10:44 am 15 Aug 13

Gee, and I thought retail was struggling.

It will be great if Woden is revamped as it is a bit of a dump at the moment. But expanding general shops in an increasingly on line mail order era seems a bit short sighted. A better option would be to increase the green and entertainment space a la Kingston’s Green Square, get approval to increase the height and put up one, two and three storey garden oriented apartments on top.

mr reason said :

“Westfield Woden is one of the largest in Canberra.”

one of the largest what? surely not Westfields. aren’t there just two of them?

You’re not thinking fourth dimensionally.

I can see why they’d think that they don’t have enough fashion stores.

It’s certainly the largest Westfield Woden in Canberra.

Myer tanked down at Tuggeranong so I wonder how the demographic is that much different at Woden. It is not like David Jones has enough business to bother having staff on the floor in any section other than cosmetics.
It was clever of Westfield to open up their undercover parking to all day stays to reduce the use of the govt pay parking to make it look like those open air car parks are not needed.

“Westfield Woden is one of the largest in Canberra.”

one of the largest what? surely not Westfields. aren’t there just two of them?

screaming banshee6:12 am 15 Aug 13

..and the battle between Westfield and QIC continues leaving destruction in its wake.

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