Myer will soon be leaving its home for 35 years on Queen St in the CBD and will be looking for a new site for its flagship location.
Myer CEO John King announced the move to close its Brisbane flagship store by the end of July 2023, citing that they could not renegotiate a reasonable term with their landlord, Vicinity Centres and ISPT. However, the department store will still continue to trade online and in its other outlets in Carindale, Chermside, Indooroopilly and Mt Gravatt.
“Whilst we remain committed to the Brisbane market, we have been unable to negotiate a reasonable commercial outcome with the landlord and as such will continue to look for an alternative CBD location,” Mr King said in a statement.
“We thank our team members for their service and will be providing redeployment opportunities at nearby stores.
“For our loyal customers, we will continue to serve the Brisbane area with our surrounding stores and our 24/7 online business while we explore future Brisbane CBD options, and we thank you for your ongoing loyalty.”
Vicinity Centres also released a statement indicating its options for the building once Myer leaves.
“(We’re) investigating a number of options for the centre including a downsized contemporary department store and plans without a department store which we can now progress with certainty,” the company stated.
“We look forward to delivering a re-imagined destination in the heart of Brisbane’s evolving CBD and anticipate sharing our plans shortly.
“In the meantime, the centre will continue to offer the growing number of visitors, locals and CBD workers a diverse mix of retail, dining and entertainment options with no impact to public transport or carpark access.”
Shoppers, especially those with tons of memories at the centre, said that the closure marked an end of an era. Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner described the announcement as a “sad day for generations of Brisbane residents” but added that the upcoming changes will be a “fantastic opportunity for the centre to be reinvigorated into a vibrant, modern retail experience for residents and visitors.”
Published 17 March 2023
