Toombul was a real hit
TOOMBUL Shopping Centre in its heyday had the international star pulling power of Carnegie Hall and it was all down to one man.
Toombul Music boss Barry Bull (illustrated) attracted some of the biggest names in showbiz to his store including Cliff Richard, Kiss, John Denver, Olivia Newton-John, Slim Dusty and The Corrs whose impromptu performances attracted thousands of people.
The former music industry executive said he was immensely saddened by Mirvac’s announcement this week of the permanent closure of the centre.
Toombul Music operated from 1981 to 2008 putting the suburban shopping hub on the international music map. “Since the centre closure was announced, I have been inundated with calls from people who have memories of the centre,” Mr Bull said.
“If you were a 15-yearold back in the day and met Kiss when they performed at Toombul it is seared in your memory.”
Mr Bull said the centre, which had experienced flooding problems as far back as the 1970s, had been showing its age of late.
“I feel sorry for the retailers who will have to relocate but the centre was more than 50 years old,” said Mr Bull. “I understand the decision but it is sad.”
Mr Bull said Toombul had played a key role as a community hub for many years and would be sorely missed. “It was small enough to be a community of shops and not a city of shops,” said Mr Bull. “You can go to Chermside but it does not have that community spirit.”
Mr Bull opened Toombul Music after a career as a music industry executive and used his contacts to attract big names to perform at his shop. “Musicians soon realised that performing at Toombul could boost their new record up the charts,” he said.
“We could sell several hundred records on the day and we would report that immediately to ARIA. Cliff Richard came to Toombul five times because he could see the value.”
Toombul Music launched the careers of several big names, including The Veronicas who won a talent contest at the shop while they were still teenagers.
Toombul Music’s biggest crowd puller was The Wiggles but on the day of their performance Blue Wiggle Anthony Field called in sick and Mr Bull had to pull on a skivvy and take to the stage. “At the end there were a thousand kids wanting my autograph.”
WHAT NEXT?
SO what does Mirvac have planned for Toombul? It is all speculation at this stage but QUT retail expert Dr Gary Mortimer says the property giant is likely to keep a retail component in its development plans for the site – possibly a Kmart and supermarkets.
But the days of Toombul being a hub for speciality shops are long gone. Dr Mortimer says the retail component will likely be placed where the rooftop parking now is with parking to be built underneath. That will keep the shops high and dry even if there is a major flood. At the front of the site, there will likely be high-rise residential.