City hub perfect location
Iconic Billabong store up for grabs after quarter of a century
THE home of Billabong’s Cairns surfwear retail outlet in the heart of the city is to become available for lease or to buy for the first time in 25 years.
Knight Frank sales agents Rob Macfarlane and Greg Wood are working together to find a new owner for 12 Shields St, described as “an extremely well located, prime, iconic building”.
Shields St is a busy pedestrian route which runs from the Cairns Esplanade to Cairns Central shopping centre.
“The iconic building boasts a prime location with substantial visual presence for signature retailing with many and varied potential uses,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“The building itself is imposing with an aesthetically pleasing design, offering enormous glass frontage, large void and substantial presence.
“The building has an area of approximately 183 sqm with a mezzanine area of an additional 56 sqm in the middle of the Shields St mall.
“The building is located within a precinct of other iconic buildings and designations such as the School of Arts building, Cairns Regional Art Gallery and institutions like the Woolshed, PJ O’Brien’s and Global Palace.
“The building has not been available to lease or purchase for a quarter of a century and represents an outstanding opportunity for a visionary with a new retail direction or business opportunity.
“This building truly represents a one-off opportunity to lease or acquire real estate in a prime location that is rarely presented to the market with such fantastic street presence.”
Cairns Regional Council has targeted the Shields St business precinct for renewal as part of the Shields Street Heart project with works completed last year.
Stage 1 works were undertaken along the Grafton St to Lake St section of Shields St in 2016.
Key elements of the $7.8 million Stage 1 works included creation of an urban park, installing contemporary lighting and vehicle access restrictions.
Shields Street Heart Stage 2 from Lake to Abbott streets was started and completed last year. For an onside inspection contact Knight Frank agents Rob Macfarlane on 0409 636 943 or Greg Wood on 0418 772 555.