International fashion retailer Zara has finally found a home in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast after much anticipation about its arrival in Queensland.
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The Spanish-owned clothing chain will open its doors on the Queen Street Mall, in what is known as the old HMV Centre, and at Robina Town Centre on the Gold Coast.
Zara will occupy 2000 square metres of retail space at 155 Queen Street under a deal reached with Industry Superannuation Property Trust.
Neither party has commented publicly on the agreement, but it is understood local developer Mantle Group agreed to shift its Jimmy's on the Mall restaurant so Zara has better exposure to what is Australia's busiest pedestrian mall.
The deal will add to ISPTs growing dominance in the Queen Street Mall where it has already redeveloped the Wintergarden and has started refurbishing the Broadway on the Mall shopping centre.
ISPT lodged plans last year to redevelop 155 Queen Street – next to the Wintergarden and opposite Broadway – into a boutique commercial development with a major retail flagship.
It was anticipated Zara or Apple would take the flagship position.
But Zara became the front runner to slip into the new development once Apple opened its doors in MacArthur Chambers on the corner of Queen and Edwards streets.
Zara has steadily increased its presence in Australia since arriving Down Under in 2011. It opened its 10th Australian store in Perth last month.
It will join a number of international fashion brands set to plant their flag in Brisbane in 2014.
British retailer T.M.Lewin, known for its tailored men's shirts, will open for business in Brisbane on Edward Street.
"Finding the perfect location has not been a simple task in Brisbane, but we're now looking forward to delivering our unique brand style to the loyal Queensland customer base that's already been established," said T.M.Lewin manager Gerard Crawford.
High-end British fashion house Burberry is also set to open a store on Edward Street, while US-based brand Forever 21 has chosen the Queen Street Mall as the location for its first Australian store.
Forever 21 will take almost 2000 square metres over two floors in the redeveloped Chifley at Lennons Hotel.
More fashion brands including H&M, Marks & Spencer and Uniqlo, will likely add to the influx of high-end retailers in the CBD in the near future. Christian Dior is tipped to follow Burberry, opening a stand-alone store in Queens Plaza fronting Edward Street in early 2015.
TopShop was the most recent international retailer to open its doors in Brisbane, choosing the site of the old Borders bookstore on the corner of Elizabeth and Albert streets last December.
