Emporium Melbourne

Add links
Coordinates: 37°48′45″S 144°57′50″E / 37.8124°S 144.9638°E / -37.8124; 144.9638
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Emporium Melbourne
Total retail floor area
45,241 square metres (486,970 sq ft)
No. of floors8
Websiteemporiummelbourne.com.au
[1]
Mall Entrance
Mall Atrium linked to David Jones
Level 2 Shops
Level 3 Food Court

Emporium Melbourne (or simply Emporium) is a luxury

David Jones city stores, Melbourne Central, General Post Office and Elizabeth Street's The Strand.[2]


History

From 1911 to 1934, Melbourne businessman Sidney Myer acquired and constructed 10 buildings between Lonsdale and Bourke streets in the central city while establishing his Myer chain of department stores. The first new building was completed facing Bourke Street in 1914, and the 8-storey structure was named the "Myer's Emporium". In 1925, work began on a new, 11-storey building facing Lonsdale Street, designed by H.W. and F.B. Tompkins and influenced by Classical and Beaux-Arts architectural styles.[3] One of the first employees was Adeline Keating who rose to be Chief Buyer and the most highly paid business woman in Australia. She toured the world and once a year she would create a special display for Christmas in the store.[4]

This structure incorporated parts of previous buildings, which resulted in a complex layout and multiple mezzanine levels.[5] In 1962, a pedestrian bridge was constructed between first, second and third storeys[6] of the Bourke Street and Lonsdale Street buildings.[3]

In March 2007, Myer announced plans to close the Lonsdale Street store as part of a $40 million redevelopment in which it would sell both buildings and lease back the Bourke Street store. It was expected by Myer's

serviced-apartment components".[7] By March 2009, the sale had not been finalised, with potential buyer and owner of Melbourne Central GPT Group concerned that the redevelopment of the Lonsdale Street site would interfere with pedestrian flows in the area .[8]

In August of that year, the

flagship retailer in the new centre, and that the project would be completed by December 2012.[9] Construction commenced in August 2011, by which time developers Colonial First State Global Asset Management hoped for completion by Christmas 2013.[10]

Beginning on 22 August 2012, construction was delayed by

shop stewards and display union regalia. The dispute continued when the union refused to comply with a Supreme Court of Victoria order to end the strike and workers from builder Grocon were escorted onto the site by Victoria Police.[11] Despite the union's subsequent threats of a statewide building industry strike, the blockade ended on 7 September when Grocon agreed to further negotiations.[12] The union was eventually forced to pay a $1.25 million fine and $3.5 million in a damages settlement over the incident.[13]

Emporium Melbourne was opened by Premier of Victoria Denis Napthine in April 2014. The final cost of the project was estimated at $1.2 billion.[14] A "gala opening" event in August was directed by Australian film director Baz Luhrmann.[15]

Current centre

Emporium has 224 tenancies across 7 of the building's floors, with an eighth floor containing only management offices. Major tenants include

Coach
. Other key tenants include
David Jones store which occupies the property next to Myer between Bourke and Little Bourke streets.[1]

A food court with approximately 30 food outlets is located on Level 3 and includes mostly independent food outlets. The food court has been described by managers as an attempt to appeal to "discerning" customers and consequently takes inspiration from luxury food courts in Asia.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b "Emporium Melbourne Leasing Fact Sheet" (PDF). Vicinity Centres. March 2017. p. 1. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  2. ^ Johanson, Simon (30 March 2014). "Emporium: Melbourne's new retail wonderland, all under one roof". The Age. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  3. ^ a b "MYER MELBOURNE (FORMER MYER EMPORIUM)". Victorian Heritage Database. Heritage Council Victoria. 13 November 2006. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. ^ Hellegers, Joan, "Adeline May Keating (1885–1957)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 22 December 2023
  5. ^ Dimech, Adam (4 April 2007). "Myer Lonsdale is closing". The Grapevine. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  6. ^ In Australian English, this refers to the first, second and third floors above ground level.
  7. ^ Schneiders, Ben; Lucas, Clay (14 March 2007). "Myer to leave Lonsdale". The Age. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  8. ^ Condon, Turi; Dunlevy, Maurice (17 March 2009). "$200m likely in Myer sell-off". The Australian. news.com.au. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  9. ^ Moses, Asher (10 August 2009). "Apple store set to gobble up art deco landmark". The Age. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  10. ^ Hopkins, Philip (3 August 2011). "Retail's confidence builder". The Age. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  11. ^ Gillett, Chris; Devic, Aleks (31 August 2012). "Grocon workers enter Emporium site as CFMEU dispute continues". Herald Sun. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  12. ^ Butt, Craig; Lucas, Clay (7 September 2012). "Union calls off Grocon blockade". The Age. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  13. ^ Toscano, Nick (21 June 2015). "CFMEU to pay Grocon $3.5m over illegal blockades". The Age. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  14. ^ Percy, Karen (16 April 2014). "Retail pins revival hopes on new Emporium shopping centre". ABC News. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  15. ^ Wilson, Kim (19 August 2014). "Baz Luhrmann preparing extravagant opening for Emporium Melbourne". Herald Sun. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  16. ^ "Myer Emporium Revealed" (PDF) (Press release). Melbourne: Myer Holdings Ltd. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  17. ^ Dubecki, Larissa (16 April 2014). "Upmarket food court re-served as food cafe at Emporium Melbourne". Good Food. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 17 September 2017.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Emporium_Melbourne&oldid=1209988742"