By Sarah Falson
QUEENSLAND: The Myer Strathpine store, located 22 kilometres north of Brisbane, will cease trading in March, in lieu of plans to redevelop the site, according to a document sent to suppliers from the retailer’s head office in Melbourne.
The document, sent by Myer business manager – electric, Neil Merola, states that the Strathpine store will be replaced by a North Lakes shopfront, which should open its doors by the end of the year.
“To ensure an ongoing presence in the area, Myer has entered negotiations with Westfield with an objective of developing a new department store site in the nearby North Lakes Shopping Centre in Mango Hill, Queensland,” said Merola.
“Once a lease is finalised for the North Lakes site we would work towards a possible opening date for our new Myer store of December 2007.”
Merola is currently on annual leave, but Current.com.au secured confirmation from a Myer spokesperson at the Melbourne office, Sharlene Sinclair, that Myer’s lease at the Strathpine Westfield expires in March, and the retail group will not re-open there once the Westfield redevelopment has concluded.
According to Sinclair, the Strathpine venue is an eight to ten-minute drive from the new North Lakes location, and the existing staff members will be offered jobs in preference to outsiders, with opportunities to work at other, nearby Myer stores in the interim.
According to Myer CEO, Bernie Brooks, business for the chain in Queensland is growing at a high rate, so the company jumped at the opportunity to refurbish from the ground-up, the new North Lakes location, which is currently in ‘stage two’ of development.
“All stores carry the brief for an electrical and appliance section, as will North Lakes,” said Sinclair.