News & Discussion: CBD Retail

[The Scooter Guy]

Dymocks on Rundle Mall is going to be replaced with a multi-level Rebel Sport. Dymocks are looking for a new CBD location.

Rundle Mall's biggest bookstore will close its doors at its current location for the last time on Friday, to be replaced with a new Rebel Sport “megastore”. The new sports store will stretch over three levels and will be the retailer's first “highly immersive” new format concept outlet in Adelaide.

(don't have a subscription)
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business ... 1e66c34adc

That will likely mean the Rebel Sport stores in the Myer Centre and City Cross will be closing down. The City Cross store covers a huge footprint and could be ideal for Uniqlo or JD Sports. Could also be a good opportunity to redevelop City Cross which is looking tired.

There have been extensive internal works in the vacant shop next to the Rebel escalator in City Cross. No indication yet who might be taking it up, but IMO to attract an anchor tenant City Cross should be merging the Mall shop fronts and upstairs space.

Can't see anyone wanting the space in the Myer Centre though. Cheap as Chips?

Myer Centre looks very tired too. With the uppermost floors almost unpopulated and very little traffic there.

[Brucetiki]

Are we sure Rebel Sports will merge their two existing stores into the new store.

We all thought one of Myer Centre or City Cross will go when Amart got rebadged as Rebel, but that never happened.

[Ben]

The difference is those leases weren't coming up for renewal and they would have had to pay rental costs anyway. Both of these sites are unlikely to be renewed.

[Patrick_27]

Word has it that Dymocks temp Gawler Place store will be the old Allan's Music frontage, whilst I think the Allan's site could probably house a larger fashion retailer, I wouldn't mind seeing Dymocks relocate there permanently and have a larger footprint, they don't really need the mall frontage to guarantee their business, their type of regular clientele know where to find them.

[The Scooter Guy]

Has Hallmark Jewellers on Grenfell St moved or gone completely?
Here's the article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-24/ ... s/11993896

[AndyWelsh]

New Foot Locker pretty much opposite the old one:





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AndyWelsh]

Other snaps taken today around Rundle Mall:










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nathan]

The Footlocker looks temporary to me. The ending of all the leases seemed to be very very sudden.

Also, we've heard for years that Uniqlo has been looking for a suitable location in the mall but haven't been able to secure a wide enough frontage, with seemingly no landlord willing to reconfigure to make that happen. And then this happens to get a third Rebel Sport in. Very odd.

[Patrick_27]

Dymocks Adelaide have announced on Facebook that they're opening their temporary store on level 1 of the Myer Centre... Not quite the Gawler Place location they had said to begin with. Whilst this will suffice for a short-term location, I'd be a bit concerned for their long-term future if it were to become a permanent home. The footprint is tiny by comparison to their old shopfront, and the lack of mall frontage and the convenience that comes with it would no doubt hurt their trade. Really hoping they are sussing out the Allan's Music site, would be great to see them take all three floors and expand on their offering and perhaps follow suit with George Street Dymocks in Sydney by providing an in-house cafe.

[The Scooter Guy]

Rents on Gawler Place are still very steep.
This past week, Uggs R Us suddenly shut up shop 'for unknown reasons'.
If Shin Tokyo does the same thing, I wouldn't be surprised.
Besides, their stock is too pricey anyway.

[Patrick_27]

Rents on Gawler Place are still very steep.
This past week, Uggs R Us suddenly shut up shop 'for unknown reasons'.
If Shin Tokyo does the same thing, I wouldn't be surprised.
Besides, their stock is too pricey anyway.

Shin Tokyo aren't in Gawler Place, technically speaking...

Dymocks success as Adelaide CBD's only large-scale bookshop gives them an advantage over any high rent, let's not forget they had a mall frontage for 30-odd years.

[The Scooter Guy]

The closure of the Twin Plaza Book Exchange in 2012, Pauline Books in 2019 and now Adelaide Booksellers marks the end of Twin Street's most ambitious era. (Adelaide Booksellers will continue to trade online to this very date)

[Modbury_Man]

Dymocks opened today in their temporary home on Level 1 of the Myer Centre. A much smaller shop but a good open plan layout and plenty of staff around. The shop was quite busy at lunchtime and still a good variety of books on display. Plenty of signage in the Myer Centre promoting Dymocks too.

[SRW]

Dymocks opened today in their temporary home on Level 1 of the Myer Centre. A much smaller shop but a good open plan layout and plenty of staff around. The shop was quite busy at lunchtime and still a good variety of books on display. Plenty of signage in the Myer Centre promoting Dymocks too.

It's right next to the crossover to the Rundle Mall Plaza food terrace too, which should presumably help footfall. Though I rather liked Patrick's suggestion that they ultimately occupy the former Allan's music building to help revive Gawler Place South.

[The Scooter Guy]

For those who haven't noticed, Liquorland has opened in Coles at Rundle Place as part of the supermarket's first refurbishment.