Queen Street Mall, Brisbane
Encyclopedia
The Queen Street Mall is a pedestrian mall
Pedestrian mall
Pedestrian malls in the United States are also known as pedestrian streets and are the most common form of pedestrian zone in large cities in the United States. It is a street lined with storefronts and closed off to most automobile traffic...

 on Queen Street
Queen Street, Brisbane
Queen Street in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia, is one of the city's major streets. It is the city's central road, partly covered by a pedestrian mall called the Queen Street Mall. Queen Street ends at the Victoria Bridge and is bounded by two of the Brisbane River's central reaches...

 in the centre of Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...

, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

.

It is Brisbane's predominant retail district, featuring shopping centres, hotels, restaurant and coffee shops, cinemas, clothing, music, jewellery and book stores, newsagencies, and banks. The mall attracts 26 million visitors a year.

History

Opened in two stages, the first stage of the Queen Street Mall was opened in time for the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia from 30 September–9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium , in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the venue which was used for the athletics and archery competitions during the...

, and extended from Queen Street and Edward Street
Edward Street, Brisbane
Edward Street is a busy thoroughfare in the Brisbane central business district, Queensland, Australia. It is a one way street located between Albert Street and Creek Street, and runs from Upper Edward Street to Alice Street....

 intersection — to the Queen Street and Albert Street
Albert Street, Brisbane
Albert Street is a road in Brisbane, Australia. It was named after Prince Albert, the Prince Consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and it runs between George Street and Edward Street, and from Alice Street to Wickham Terrace....

 intersection.

The second stage, further extending the Mall from Queen Street and Albert Street to Queen Street and George Street
George Street, Brisbane
George Street is a main street located in the Brisbane CBD in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. A major thoroughfare, George Street connects to the Queensland University of Technology as well as the state Botanical Gardens, to the commercial centre of Brisbane, Queen Street and Queen Street Mall.The...

, was opened in time for Brisbane's hosting of World Expo 88.

Features

The Mall prides itself on being the 'one-stop shop' for all retail in Brisbane, with access to numerous eateries, shopping destinations and more, all within a smart grey slate rendered footpath finish, with Australian native tree and flowering shrub enclosures, bench seating on the sides, and flowering vines and art work.

The Mall itself also hosts four 24-hour restaurants and coffee shops, Milano's fine a la carte European dining at the top of the Mall (George Street), Jimmy's on the Mall, for Chinese and Asian food in the centre of the Mall, Cafe East for eastern and western fusion, and the Pig 'n' Whistle for traditional British pub fare, at the bottom of the Mall (Edward Street).

It also features two newsagencies, one at the centre of the Mall (Rankins On The Mall), and another at the bottom of the Mall (City Mall News), and an extensive Visitors Information Centre near the Centre of the Mall. An entertainment stage for music, model shows, and other performances features at the near the top of the Mall.

In the development of stage one and stage two of the Mall, significant heritage-listed building facades were preserved, giving the Mall a wonderful restored yesteryear feeling.

Shopping Centres

There are several significant shopping centres located on the Queen Street Mall. These include the Wintergarden
Wintergarden, Brisbane
Wintergarden is the name of a popular shopping centre located in the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was opened by the Premier of Queensland the Honourable Joh Bjelke-Petersen in 1982. The shopping centre can be accessed directly from the Queen Street Mall, Edward Street and Elizabeth...

 (opened in 1982), The Myer Centre
The Myer Centre, Brisbane
The Myer Centre is located between the Queen Street Mall and Elizabeth Street in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is an nine-floor shopping complex which includes Queensland's largest Myer department store, and is open to the public seven days a week. The Myer Centre has the added benefit of...

 (opened in 1988), Broadway on the Mall
Broadway on the Mall, Brisbane
Broadway on the Mall is a large shopping centre in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, located between the Queen Street Mall and Adelaide Street in the Central Business District....

 (opened in 1989) and the lavish Queens Plaza, situated at the northern end of the mall, which was opened in two stages, the first in 2005,
and the second in 2008.

The Wintergarden is a three level shopping centre with over 70 specialty stores including a gymnasium, ten pin bowling alley, Georg Jensen
Georg Jensen
Georg Arthur Jensen was a Danish silversmith.Born in 1866, Jensen was the son of a knife grinder in the town of Raadvad just to the north of Copenhagen. Jensen began his training in goldsmithing at the age of 14 in Copenhagen...

, lululemon athletica
Lululemon Athletica
Lululemon Athletica Inc. , styled as lululemon athletica, is a self-described yoga-inspired athletic apparel company, produces a clothing line and runs international clothing stores from its company base in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada....

, Lisa Ho
Lisa Ho
Lisa Ho is an Australian fashion designer born in Albury, on the New South Wales and Victorian border. She is married to Philip Smouha....

, Wayne Cooper and R. M. Williams
R. M. Williams
Reginald Murray Williams AO, CMG was an Australian bushman and entrepreneur who rose from a swagman, to a millionaire. Widely known as just 'R.M.', he was born at Belalie North near Jamestown in the Mid North, 200 kilometres north of Adelaide, into a pioneering settler family working and training...

.

In November 2009, it was announced that the Wintergarden will undergo a $A100 million refurbishment in two 12-month stages. The new Wintergarden will once more become of the Brisbane central business district
Brisbane central business district
The Brisbane central business district , sometimes referred to as the city, is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and is located on a point on the northern bank of the Brisbane River. The triangular shaped area is bounded by the Brisbane River to the east, south and west...

's premier shopping destinations, and an impressive architectural site.

The Myer Centre is the Brisbane CBD's largest shopping centre. It has almost 200 stores spread across 6 floors including Queensland's largest department store, Myer
Myer
Myer is Australia's largest department store chain, retailing a broad range of merchandise including women's, men's and children's clothing, footwear and accessories; cosmetics and fragrance; homewares; electrical; furniture and bedding; toys; books and stationery; food and confectionery; and...

, as well as Target and Birch Carroll and Coyle.

Broadway on the Mall is a four level shopping centre with around 60 stores. It has a top floor Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman
Harvey Norman is a large Australian-based retailer of electrical, computer, furniture, entertainment and bedding goods. It is effectively a franchise and the main brand owned by Harvey Norman Holdings Limited...

 store as well as Australia's first Scotch and Soda store.

QueensPlaza is the Brisbane CBD's most upmarket shopping centre. It has around 80 stores on three levels including Australia's largest single location David Jones
David Jones Limited
David Jones Limited , colloquially known as DJs, is a high-end Australian department store chain.David Jones was founded in 1838 by David Jones, a Welsh immigrant, and is claimed to be the oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name. It...

 department store, as well as Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...

, Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. is an American jewelry and silverware company. As part of its branding, the company is strongly associated with its Tiffany Blue , which is a registered trademark.- History :...

, Montblanc
Montblanc (pens)
Montblanc International GmbH is a German manufacturer of writing instruments, watches and accessories, often identified by their "White Star" logo.-History:...

, Bally
Bally Shoe
The Bally Shoe company was founded as "Bally & Co" high fashion in 1851 by Carl Franz Bally and his brother Fritz in the basement of their family home in Schönenwerd in the Canton of Solothurn, Switzerland.-Business:...

, MaxMara and Max&Co luxury boutiques. Australian designers Alannah Hill
Alannah Hill
Alannah Hill is an Australian fashion designer, well known in Australia and internationally for her "girly chic" fashion label smexy and boutique chain....

, Leona Edmiston
Leona Edmiston
Leona Edmiston is an Australian fashion designer based in Sydney. She studied fashion design at East Sydney Technical College and began her first label, called "Morrissey Edmiston", with Peter Morrissey in the 1980s. The label was popular for over 14 years...

 and SABA
SABA
The Schwarzwälder Apparate-Bau-Anstalt was a German manufacturer for electronic equipment founded in 1923 at Triberg im Schwarzwald , present-day Baden-Württemberg....

 and prominent clothing labels Esprit
Esprit Holdings
Esprit Holdings Limited is a publicly owned manufacturer of apparel, footwear, accessories, jewellery and housewares under the Esprit label. The company is headquartered in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and Ratingen , Germany. In the 2007–2008 business year, Esprit Holdings Limited generated a worldwide...

 and French Connection
French Connection (clothing)
French Connection is a retailer and wholesaler of fashion clothing and accessories. Founded in 1972 by Stephen Marks it is based in London, is listed on the London Stock Exchange and operates globally....

 also have stores in QueensPlaza.

There are other smaller shopping centres and arcades on the Queen Street Mall. These include the historic Brisbane Arcade
Brisbane Arcade
Brisbane Arcade is the name of an Art Deco shopping arcade located in the city of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.-Street access:The arcade can be accessed directly from the Queen Street Mall, and Adelaide Street.-Overview:...

, the Q&A Building (home to JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi is an Australian CD, DVD, Blu-ray disc, video game and consumer electronics chain store.-History:JB Hi-Fi was established in Melbourne suburb of Keilor East by John Barbuto in 1974...

, a two storey Dymocks
Dymocks Booksellers
Dymocks booksellers is a bookstore chain found in Australia. It currently has 73 stores in Australia, 7 in New Zealand and 13 in Hong Kong.- History :...

, a two storey Kathmandu and Australia's flagship two storey Guess store) the Queen Adelaide Building (with Rebel Sport) and the heritage Tattersall's Arcade.

Refurbishment

The mall also underwent refurbishment in 1999 from its signature terracotta tile footpath to a grey slate tile footpath, with several significant art commissions and new tree and shrub enclosures (with bench seating) throughout.

Further developments

In 2006 the other end of the George Street engagement with the Mall ('top of the Mall') saw the opening of Brisbane Square
Brisbane Square
Brisbane Square is a high-rise building in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The building has 38 floors and rises to 151 metres. The building's main use is for office space, the lower floors leased to retailers, with a 350-space car park below the building...

 which further extended the grey slate tile rendering of the Mall, and, in 2008 extension of the Mall along Albert Street to the corner of Albert Street and Adelaide Street.

The Brisbane City Council announced in 2009 that Burnett Lane, a narrow laneway that runs between George Street and Albert Street, and parallel to the Mall, will be integrated into the Queen Street Mall precinct with a vibrant boutique bar/restaurant scene on the cards.

Miscellaneous

Beneath the Queen Street Mall and The Myer Centre is the Queen Street Bus Station.

Management of the mall is covered by The Local Government (Queen Street Mall) Act, a state government
Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...

 act, which also originally granted the Queensland Police
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto of "Firmness with Courtesy" was changed to "With Honour We Serve"...

 specific powers within the confines of the mall. However, these powers have been repealed with the introduction of the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act.
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