News & Discussion: CBD Retail

[Matt]

Wow, that's a surprise. Love Nespresso!

[monotonehell]

...i look forward to not having to order my pods off the net

*looks down nose at*

Coffee comes in beans, which are roasted. You then grind some to make espresso.
Throw that pod-people machine in the bin now! And get a real coffee maker. You have been told.

Coffee that comes in individually wrapped serves. Next you'll be telling me that tea comes in bags.



Bad coffee aside: It's interesting how itinerant book sale stores have opened in both the vacated Colorado and Borders stores. I did some excessmas shopping in the Book Boys store. It was weird seeing all the old Borders' fittings again. Book Boys are only using the ground level.

[Ben]

Have you had an nespresso? They are amazing lol I was unsold until I tried it

[monotonehell]

Have you had an nespresso? They are amazing lol I was unsold until I tried it

off topic taken to the pub...

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3811

[Hooligan]

I would say it's just a showroom but you can get free "sample" coffees anytime.

i look forward to not having to order my pods off the net

Do you think they would be a bit suspicious if i went in there at opening time everyday to get a free "sample"?

[JamesXander]

The site that everyone thought MIGHT be apple.....is for lease. Looks like they bit the bullet and redeveloped without a signed tenant.

Ouch.


Also I have heard strong rumours that the Myer centre and Myer itself is losing HUGE amounts of money. Wheres the end game for this centre?

[pushbutton]

I have heard strong rumours that the Myer centre and Myer itself is losing HUGE amounts of money. Wheres the end game for this centre?

It wouldn't be surprising if the Myer Centre is struggling, given that 2 of their 8 commercial floors have been completely vacant for years and the whole centre has had its original concept destroyed and become a boring bland and not particularly inviting set up narrow vertical arcades.

Maybe it was poorly designed to some extent in the first place, but mostly I put it down to exceptionally poor management.

I'd be a bit more surprised if Myer is losing money though, although I suppose they might be finding it hard to get many people to their higher levels given that the Myer Centre provides access to those levels and is half empty.

[contractor]

I may only be a High Rise Poster but it is appropriate to have a thread titled 'New Retail in the CBD' always at the top of the CBD Development section where people talk about coffee?? Who gives a f**k about shopping??

[AG]

Who gives a f**k about shopping??

If I'm talking from my own perspective, then I would agree. However, you'd be hard pressed to find a modern great city that doesn't have a broad and outstanding selection of shops. No shops, no street life.

[Adeguy72]

It wouldn't be surprising if the Myer Centre is struggling, given that 2 of their 8 commercial floors have been completely vacant for years and the whole centre has had its original concept destroyed and become a boring bland and not particularly inviting set up narrow vertical arcades.

Maybe it was poorly designed to some extent in the first place, but mostly I put it down to exceptionally poor management.

I'd be a bit more surprised if Myer is losing money though, although I suppose they might be finding it hard to get many people to their higher levels given that the Myer Centre provides access to those levels and is half empty.

The Myer Centre is dead - does anyone ever go to the upper floors? I know I don't.

Colonial First State (centre managers) are good managers so not sure if I agree it is due to poor management. Just more poor design in the first place. Multi levels of specialty stores don't work in my view. The developers of DJ's got it right - specialty shops only on the ground & first floors.

Not sure what the answer is, but if they could get a cinema operator to develop the top couple of floors this might work. Hoyts opened cinemas in the Melbourne Central complex in Melbourne on the upper floors & this seems to work well. Not sure if Rundle Mall is ready for cinemas again yet?

I would also be surprised if Myer is losing money - it always seems to be busy when I am in there. I am only guessing, but I'm pretty sure it would be their best performing SA store in terms of sales. They would have cheap rent so the store would be profitable - if it wasn't they would downsize it. I know management said a few years ago they got the store design wrong so I guess if they can ever justify the expense they will do a major refurbishmnet. Is long overdue as it hasn't had one since they opened it in 1991.

[crawf]

They could close the upper levels and expand Myer on those levels?. Or they could refurbish the atrium and install clear glass to allow more natural sunlight.

The Rundle Place complex seems to go it right. Specalist stores on the lower levels and Harris Scarfe on the upper levels.

[pushbutton]

The above suggestions are excellent, which is what I meant by poor management.

I was mostly referring to poor management before Colonial took over though because most of Colonials centres are exceptionally well run.

Colonial also manages the Myer Centre in Brisbane, where their version of Dazzleland has been converted into cinemas. It does make me wonder why they haven't just done the same here as it presumably is working ok there.

Having said that the Myer Centre Brisbane does have one level closed off, so it's not 100% thriving either. However in Brisbane the level that is closed off is the lowest level (basement), whereas in Adelaide it's the 2 highest levels that are closed!

[SRW]

My impression is that, if anything, the Myer Centre has being doing better over the last year. There's a number of new tenants, most of which have consolidated multiple shopfronts, to reduce the sense of vacancy.

Also of note; the Centre is providing some of its empty space on Level 4 as a theatre for the Fringe.

[Nathan]

Looks like that Pie Face on Rundle St might not be too far off. Walked past today to see the coffee shop shut, with a notice from the landlord that they've defaulted on their lease.

In other changes, the Rundle Yakitori Dining Bar that was perpetually empty has closed, and new signage is up for "Dumplings R Us" (The quality of the signage points that it would probably be a better fit in China Town rather than Rundle St, but anyway), and the tacky souvenir store at the pedestrian entrance to the UPark has also closed and the space is up for lease.

[Omicron]

Looks like that Pie Face on Rundle St might not be too far off. Walked past today to see the coffee shop shut, with a notice from the landlord that they've defaulted on their lease.

In other changes, the Rundle Yakitori Dining Bar that was perpetually empty has closed, and new signage is up for "Dumplings R Us" (The quality of the signage points that it would probably be a better fit in China Town rather than Rundle St, but anyway), and the tacky souvenir store at the pedestrian entrance to the UPark has also closed and the space is up for lease.

I've always wondered how on earth a tacky souvenir store or Dumplings R Us with handwritten signs and plastic forks make enough money to cover Rundle St rents.