Overview
For many Brisbanites, Queen Street Mall's Myer Centre has never been the same since its beloved dragon coaster said farewell. Or, if you aren't old enough to have lived through that era, you've always wondered what it was like. Prior to 2000, the CBD shopping complex's upper levels weren't home to cinemas and arcade games — they boasted an indoor theme park called Tops, including a ride that had everyone loving fire-breathing creatures before they'd ever heard of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
There's been rumours of the dragon coaster making a comeback over the years, but nothing has ever eventuated. The Myer Centre is set for a huge change, however — and soon. Myer, aka the department store that the whole place is named after, has decided to close its central shop after opening in the centre back in 1988.
"Myer has made the decision to depart the Myer Centre Brisbane at the end of its lease in July 2023," said Vicinity Centres and ISPT in a joint statement — with the two companies behind the shopping centre.
"Vicinity and ISPT were investigating a number of options for the centre including a downsized contemporary department store and plans without a department store, which we can now progress with certainty."
"We look forward to delivering a reimagined destination in the heart of Brisbane's evolving CBD and anticipate sharing our plans shortly."
Figaro via Wikimedia Commons
An exact closing date for Myer's Myer Centre location hasn't yet been revealed. When the venue says goodbye, it'll leave the brand with Brisbane stores in Indooroopilly, Mount Gravatt, Carindale, Chermside and North Lakes.
"Whilst we remain committed to the Brisbane market, we have been unable to negotiate a reasonable commercial outcome with the landlord and as such will continue to look for an alternative CBD location," said Myer CEO John King.
"We thank our team members for their service and will be providing redeployment opportunities at nearby stores."
"For our loyal customers, we will continue to serve the Brisbane area with our surrounding stores and our 24/7 online business while we explore future Brisbane CBD options, and we thank you for your ongoing loyalty."
Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons
Responding to the news, Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said that "while this is a sad day for generations of Brisbane residents who have loved shopping at the Queen Street Mall Myer, it's also a great opportunity for our city centre."
"With the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games on the horizon, now is the perfect time for the centre's owners to reimagine one of Queensland's premier retail spaces."
"The Myer Centre once had live music on its lower levels, as well as a fun park at the top, and has always evolved and moved with the times. I think this is a fantastic opportunity for the centre to be reinvigorated into a vibrant, modern retail experience for residents and visitors and I look forward to working with the owners on their future plans."
Our suggestion: all that space that Myer is vacating will leave plenty of room for the dragon coaster 2.0.
Find the Myer Centre at 91 Queen Street, Brisbane — and head to the centre's website for further details.
Top image: John Robert McPherson via Wikimedia Commons.
