Burleigh strip in battle for business
RETAILERS across Burleigh’s idyllic shopping strip are limping to the other side as the border closure debate continues.
More than 30 owners and managers of James Street’s eateries, barbers, clothing and homewares stores say the strip, which relied heavily on both international and national tourism, had been struck hard by prolonged border closures.
“It’s just locals now, there’s only so much locals are going to come and spend every day on things like clothes,” said Cara Lee Collective manager Nicole Seghers.
Sarah Patchett, who worked at her family clothing business Carmel’s, had hoped the border reopening would solve her problems. “When people from Brisbane were allowed to come down that even made a difference,” she said.
National Retail Association chief executive Dominique Lamb said Burleigh had been hit hard since March. “Retailers in Burleigh rely indirectly on tourist money as a key source of revenue,” she said.
Many small business owners had to let go of staff.
Home Sweet Home owner Michelle Bushby took on a sixday work week to keep her homewares store afloat.
“There wasn’t a lot in the street,” she said, “some days you do $20 to $50 a day.”
Social distancing also impacted the stores, as they had to limit customer numbers.
J Street Barbers owner Michelle Rijkaart had to let go of two staff members, with only two allowed in store at all times. “I had the perfect team, it’s very hard to get the perfect team.”
Social Brew, Cedar and Stone, Doughnut Time, Home Sweet Home and Scoop all introduced online ordering, home delivery or drivethrough services to reach a digital audience.
Cedar and Stone co-owner Anna Hamilton said while their customer base had been restricted, they had found some silver linings.
“The upside of that was it made us kick our butts into gear and we put all of our store online,” she said.
“We’ve tripled our weekly takings and just the amount of customers we can reach now has increased by roughly 80 per cent.”
Seadog Coffee and Helen’s Heavenly Bulk Foods reported higher sales during the pandemic.
Seadog owner Brodie Green put it down to three major factors: other coffee shops had closed, people were looking to get out more, and the appealing set-up of the “hole in the wall” coffee shop.
“We increased about two to three times of what we normally do,” he said.