Southpoint Shopping Centre

Southpoint Shopping Centre is a shopping centre in Hillsdale, New South Wales, in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, south-east of the central business district. The property began in 1962 as Hillsdale Plaza, an open-air shopping plaza designed to serve the surrounding residential community. Its original retail mix included a Woolworths Food Fair supermarket, Benjamins Department Store, a ten-pin bowling alley and approximately 40 specialty stores. The centre therefore combined everyday grocery shopping with department-store retail and local leisure facilities, reflecting the suburban shopping-plaza model of the early 1960s. The property adopted the Southpoint Shopping Centre name in 1980 as part of a substantial redevelopment. The rebuilding took place in stages between 1980 and 1982 and introduced a new tenant mix that included Franklins, Fosseys, Woolworths, Nock and Kirby and 31 other stores. Over time, the centre's supermarket and discount-retail composition changed in response to wider retail-sector developments. Franklins closed in 2001 during a broader program of store closures and was replaced by BI-LO. BI-LO was subsequently displaced when the centre entered another major redevelopment. In 2003, most of Southpoint Shopping Centre was demolished. Woolworths and four other stores continued trading while the redevelopment was undertaken. The project reportedly cost $55 million and produced a mixed-use complex rather than a purely retail facility. Southpoint reopened in 2004 with approximately 12,000 square metres of retail floor space and 110 apartments arranged over 12 storeys. Its post-redevelopment tenant line-up included Trade Secret, Coles, Woolworths and around 25 other stores. The planned supermarket tenancy had initially been intended for BI-LO, but Coles, the parent company, was phasing out that brand during construction, resulting in the opening of a Coles store instead. The centre's supermarket offer changed again in the 2010s. Coles ceased trading at Southpoint on 21 September 2016. Aldi opened in the former supermarket role in 2017, while Chemist Warehouse joined the centre in 2018. Trade Secret was rebranded as TK Maxx in April 2017, linking the centre's discount-fashion offer to the international TK Maxx retail identity. Major retailers identified with the centre include TK Maxx, Aldi, Chemist Warehouse and Woolworths. Southpoint serves Hillsdale and nearby suburbs through a combination of private-car access and public transport. Bus services operated by Transdev John Holland connect the area with Sydney's central business district, the Eastern Suburbs and surrounding local suburbs, with most services stopping on Bunnerong Road outside the centre. Hillsdale does not have its own railway station; Mascot is identified as the nearest station. The centre also provides a multilevel car park with 423 spaces. Its current positioning is that of a practical suburban convenience and discount-oriented shopping destination integrated with residential development, rather than a large regional mall.

Southpoint Shopping Centre originated as Hillsdale Plaza, which opened in 1962 in Hillsdale, a suburb in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. The original open-air plaza contained a Woolworths Food Fair supermarket, Benjamins Department Store, a ten-pin bowling alley and about 40 specialty shops. Its design and tenant mix positioned it as a local shopping and recreation destination for the surrounding residential area. In 1980, the property was renamed Southpoint Shopping Centre during a major redevelopment. Construction and opening occurred in stages from 1980 to 1982. The renewed centre included Franklins, Fosseys, Woolworths, Nock and Kirby and 31 additional stores, broadening the centre's offer across groceries, department-store merchandise and specialty retail. Franklins closed in 2001 as part of wider closures across the chain. BI-LO replaced it, but that arrangement was temporary. In 2003, most of Southpoint was demolished for a redevelopment reported to have cost $55 million. Woolworths and four other stores remained open during the works. The redevelopment introduced a mixed-use format containing 110 apartments across 12 floors alongside the retail centre. Southpoint reopened in 2004 with around 12,000 square metres of floor space. Its initial post-redevelopment retail line-up included Trade Secret, Coles, Woolworths and approximately 25 other stores. BI-LO had originally been planned for the supermarket tenancy, but its parent company, Coles, was phasing out the BI-LO brand during the construction period, so the store opened under the Coles name instead. Coles operated at the centre until 21 September 2016. Aldi replaced it and opened in 2017. Trade Secret changed its name to TK Maxx in April 2017, and Chemist Warehouse opened at Southpoint in 2018. The centre's major retailers are identified as TK Maxx, Aldi, Chemist Warehouse and Woolworths. The property remains a local shopping destination with public-transport and vehicle access. Transdev John Holland bus services connect the centre's surrounding area with Sydney's CBD, the Eastern Suburbs and nearby suburbs, with most services using stops on Bunnerong Road. There is no railway station in Hillsdale; Mascot is the nearest station. A multilevel car park provides 423 spaces.

• 2018

  Chemist Warehouse opens

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Chemist Warehouse joins the centre's major tenant line-up.

• 2017

  Aldi opens and Trade Secret becomes TK Maxx

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Aldi replaces Coles, while the Trade Secret store is rebranded as TK Maxx in April.

• 2016

  Coles exits

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The Coles store closes on 21 September after operating at the centre since the 2004 reopening.

• 2004

  Redeveloped centre reopens

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Southpoint reopens with approximately 12,000 square metres of retail space and 110 apartments over 12 floors.

• 2003

  Major mixed-use redevelopment begins

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Most of the centre is demolished for a reported $55 million redevelopment, while Woolworths and four other stores continue trading.

• 2001

  Franklins closes

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Franklins leaves the centre during a wider period of store closures, and BI-LO takes over the tenancy.

• 1982

  Staged redevelopment completed

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The redevelopment opened in stages between 1980 and 1982 with a new mix of national and specialty retailers.

• 1980

  Centre renamed Southpoint Shopping Centre

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The property adopts its current name as a substantial redevelopment begins.

• 1962

  Hillsdale Plaza opens

  [1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The open-air Hillsdale Plaza begins trading with Woolworths Food Fair, Benjamins Department Store, a bowling alley and about 40 specialty stores.

A suburban convenience and value-oriented shopping centre serving Hillsdale and surrounding Eastern Suburbs communities, with supermarkets, discount retail, pharmacy services and specialty stores integrated into a mixed-use residential development.

• Retail property · 1962

  Shopping-centre retail services

  Southpoint provides a neighbourhood shopping environment with supermarkets, discount fashion, pharmacy and health retail, general merchandise and specialty stores. The centre has approximately 12,000 square metres of floor space and operates as part of a mixed-use development that also contains residential apartments.

• Grocery retail · 1962

  Supermarket offer

  Supermarket retail has been central to the centre since its opening. Woolworths was present in the original plaza and remains a major retailer. The centre also hosted Franklins, BI-LO and Coles at different points before Aldi replaced Coles in 2017.

• General merchandise and fashion · 2004

  Discount and specialty retail

  The centre's value-oriented specialty offer has included Trade Secret, later rebranded as TK Maxx, together with Chemist Warehouse and other specialty stores. These tenants complement the supermarket anchors and support routine shopping for nearby residents.

• 2017

  Rebrand Trade Secret as TK MaxxOther

  Background

  The Trade Secret store was aligned with the TK Maxx retail identity.

  Action taken

  The store adopted the TK Maxx name in April 2017.

  Aftermath

  TK Maxx became one of Southpoint's identified major retailers.

  Source

• 2016

  Replace the Coles supermarket tenancyOther

  Background

  Coles ceased trading at Southpoint on 21 September 2016.

  Action taken

  The supermarket tenancy was subsequently taken by Aldi, which opened in 2017.

  Aftermath

  Aldi became part of the centre's major retailer line-up alongside Woolworths.

  Source

• 2003

  Undertake a major mixed-use redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The existing centre was substantially rebuilt to modernize the retail facility and incorporate residential development.

  Action taken

  Most of Southpoint was demolished while Woolworths and four other stores continued trading. The redevelopment created a retail centre with 110 apartments over 12 floors.

  Aftermath

  The renewed centre reopened in 2004 with approximately 12,000 square metres of retail space and a new tenant mix.

  Reported redevelopment cost. $55 million (2003 redevelopment)

  Source

• 1980

  Rename and redevelop the shopping plazaStrategy

  Background

  The former Hillsdale Plaza required a substantial modernization of its open-air shopping format and tenant offer.

  Action taken

  The property was renamed Southpoint Shopping Centre and redeveloped in stages between 1980 and 1982.

  Aftermath

  The centre reopened with a new retail mix including Franklins, Fosseys, Woolworths, Nock and Kirby and additional specialty stores.

  Source

• 2018

  Chemist Warehouse opens at Southpoint Shopping Centre[1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Chemist Warehouse opened a store at Southpoint, adding a major pharmacy and health-retail tenant to the centre's post-Coles mix.

• 2017

  Aldi opens at Southpoint Shopping Centre[1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Aldi replaced the former Coles supermarket tenancy and opened at the centre.

• 2017

  Trade Secret rebrands as TK Maxx[1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Trade Secret store at Southpoint Shopping Centre adopted the TK Maxx name in April 2017.

• 2016

  Coles closes at Southpoint Shopping Centre[1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The Coles supermarket tenancy ended on 21 September 2016 after operating at the centre since the 2004 redevelopment.

• 2004

  Southpoint Shopping Centre reopens after major redevelopment[1]Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The centre reopened following a redevelopment that retained Woolworths and several other trading stores during construction and added a mixed-use residential component with 110 apartments.

1. 1Southpoint Shopping Centreen.wikipedia.org