Coles Local Milton is now open. It’s a cacophony of colourful murals depicting scenes of the local area, an introduction of 750 “local” products, a new underground car park, and a first-floor venue for the local dance academy.
The Coles Local brand is relatively new, though Coles Local Milton is now the 32nd across Australia, according to Gemma Koo, Head of Coles Local.
The store will stock several products that are fairly unique in Coles stores, including:
A self-serve coffee machine
An orange juice station
Wimmers Soft Drinks from Noosa
Koko Black’s finest chocolates
Cheeky Poke Bowls
My Muscle Chef
Brubecks Boutique Foods ready-made meals
The store opening had a strong feel of camaraderie amongst the construction team, fit out and the new store staff. The opening ceremony conducted by MP Jonty Bush reflected a local excitement that the precinct and residents would benefit from the substantial investment, though there is still some local pushback within the community.
The murals that decorate the vast walls of the store, are quite stunning. Artist Mel Baxter has done an amazing job of covering many local iconic images from the XXXX Brewery to the Eiffel Tower, references to the Frew Park tennis history, and the former cemetary/world-class stadium down the road.
Mel lived in Milton in her ’20s and the Coles Local wall has a section where she talks about cheering on her band-mates on a Tuesday night at the Alley Bar, and walking home with a belly full of cheese and beer from Scratch.
The Milton Village precinct has never looked better and the new footfall will undoubtedly help the other retailers. A new underground carpark with two hours free parking, accessible from Wight Street just around the corner from Baroona Rd, offers parking for 77 cars and five motorcycles. The entrance could easily be missed and it remains to be seen if this is adequate for peak shopping times.
Street parking and Milton Village parking are already under stress and it’s reasonable to assume tailbacks on Baroona Road may become common.
Many locals lament the loss of the old IGA, which had been part of the local furniture for many years. Coles at Toowong, Woolworths at Paddington, Coles at the Barracks have been drawing from Milton and surrounds for some time, as the population density increases in the area, so does demand for groceries.
“With most of our 60 team members being from the local area, we are really excited to get involved in the community and support local initiatives. This store is as much about community as it is about convenience,” said the new store manager, Kurt Whittington.
Coles’ local community partnerships have also grown to become fundamental to many organisations. Toowong Football Club was presented with a $3,000 cheque, and SecondBite a $1,000 cheque, as part of its local community support.
A major winner from the new development is the Premier Dance Academy, who have moved their location from one end of the precinct to the opposite end, being housed on the first floor above Coles Local.
