Fitzroys Walk The CBD - Volume 2

WALK THE THE CBD CBD MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

1

Tenancy mix

2023

16%

2024

Bourke Street

16%

24%

43%

27%

2%

46%

14%

1%

9%

MELBOURNE CBD Tenancy movement RETAIL PRECINCTS MARKET REPORT 13.79% 12.0%  Service

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

 Development

 Vacant

Annual change

New tenants: Brand, Brand, Brand Established tenants: Brand, Brand, Brand

2023

2024

Rental rates: $1.200 - $1,500 psm

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Welcom CONTENTS

CBD RETAIL MARKET OVERVIEW

03

BOURKE STREET MALL

10

BOURKE STREET

13

CHINATOWN

14

COLLINS STREET (EAST)

17

COLLINS STREET (WEST)

18

ELIZABETH STREET

21

FLINDERS LANE

22

Tenancy mix FLINDERS STREET

25

2023

16%

2024

Bourke Street

16%

 Service

LA TROBE STREET 24%

LITTLE COLLINS STREET 27% RETAIL CORE

 Specialty  FoodSTREET & Beverage RUSSELL

43%

2%

46%

 Development

SWANSTON STREET Annual change Tenancy movement New tenants: Brand, Brand, Brand Established tenants: Brand, Brand, Brand

14%

1%

 Vacant

9%

26 29 30 33 34

13.79% 12.0% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $1.200 - $1,500 psm

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As the city settles RETAIL VACANCIES across the into a new rhythm of Melbourne CBD’s key shopping and hospitality precincts nearly halved live, work and play, we over the past 12 months as the city moved further through its postexpect a bright period pandemic transformation – and there ahead for Melbourne is good cause for optimism ahead as construction sites in key pockets are set CBD retail. to reach completion and become new hives of activity.

According to Fitzroys’ latest Walk the CBD report, retail vacancies in the CBD came down to 8.7% across its key retail precincts, from 15.5% a year earlier, with the take-up of space by hospitality, food and beverage and entertainment operators the key driving force. The trend has continued well into 2024, with Fitzroys striking multiple new leasing deals.

“Retail has admirably weathered this critical period for Melbourne,” said Fitzroys’ James Lockwood.

“Retail has dealt with the pandemic and its lockdowns, the resulting shifts in office worker routines and changes to CBD shopping, dining and lifestyle habits, as well as key pockets of the city effectively being shut down long-term for construction projects,” he said.

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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Fitzroys’ 2024 Walk the CBD report also found: Swanston Street was the biggest improver in terms of vacancies, and tenants are taking up space around the future Metro Tunnel station entrances, anticipating key pockets of the city reawakening in 2025 on completion of the of long-term construction efforts The Paris End of Collins Street retained the lowest vacancy rate International students have changed the face of Melbourne CBD retail in the city’s post-pandemic recovery Rents have bottomed out some precincts, and tenants are taking the new opportunities being presented The proportion of hospitality and food and beverage tenants in the CBD jumped from 34.1% to 40.9% of all surveyed spaces. Service retail lifted modestly to 16.7% and specialty receded slightly to 31.8%, while space undergoing development was steady.

Among the strips and precincts, the eastern stretch of Collins Street – the city’s famed Paris end, home to a rollcall of international luxury heavyweights – retained the lowest vacancies, recording just 2.6%.

Swanston Street was the biggest mover, with vacancies plummeting from 18.7% to 3.4% as the proportion of food and beverage tenants surged from 34.8% to 51.0%. Lockwood said this was perhaps the best example in the CBD where rents have bottomed out, owners are meeting the market, and tenants are seeking to take the opportunities to get into a bustling strip in anticipation of the opening of the Metro Tunnel next year, which will bring yet more pedestrian traffic. Korean fashion label Tom’s Project has set up at 137 Swanston Street, while Sushi Hub, Smolbitez Waffle and Fortune Alley Swanston are among the many new food and beverage tenants.

Lockwood said, “There’s been a lot of scaffolding and a lot of construction going on.”

He said the Metro Station works along Swanston Street had for several years now taken chunks out from Federation Square up to Collins Street, and further north around the State Library.

“The city’s really looking forward to the Metro Tunnel works being completed.

That’s taken some key pockets of the city out of action for a long time, but these major construction sites are set to become hives of activity nearly overnight that retailers and hospitality operators will really be able to thrive off,” Lockwood said. The Metro Tunnel project is due to be completed in 2025, one year ahead of schedule.

Bourke Street Mall, in the heart of the CBD, has had a central part of its offering shut off for the overhaul of the former David Jones menswear building.

It saw vacancies fall from 13.8% to just 4.0%. In this instance, the change was driven by specialty tenants lifting by more than 10% to 76.0%. Melbourne City Council data shows pedestrian traffic has been growing month-onmonth in 2024 in the Mall, and is higher than in the early part of 2023.1 Vacancies came down in the Retail Core from 17.1% to 11.1% as food and beverage jumped by nearly 8% to 44.4% of shops. Chinatown saw a similar result; vacancy fell from 13.7% to 7.4% with a 7.5% uplift in food and beverage.

Demand to be in one of the city’s most soughtafter hospitality precincts Flinders Lane, saw vacancies more than halve to just 6.0% Lockwood said, “The ongoing return of international students has brought a real buzz to the CBD, and there’s been ongoing momentum in the food and beverage sector, while landlords have been more willing to meet the market on 1 2

rents. Together with the anticipation of the completion of the Metro Tunnel, that’s all come through in the vacancy data.”

Fitzroys data includes all shopfronts within the designated precincts, including shops with ground-floor street frontage that are within shopping centres such as Emporium and St Collins Lane.

The latest Melbourne City Council pedestrian data showed the first two months of 2024 recorded the highest CBD foot traffic levels since 2015.

Saturday is the busiest day of the week, followed by Friday – as Melburnians and tourists come into the city for hospitality, lifestyle, shopping and entertainment.

Pedestrian activity near Town Hall, at the corner of Swanston Street and Collins Street, is 3% higher than was last year – which was up 22% on 2022.2 A new report to the Melbourne City Council’s Future Melbourne Committee, Mainstreaming Twilight Trade, showed there are now more consumers, workers and visitors in the city between the hours of 5pm and 7pm than between 8am and 10am, suggesting a shift towards later trading amongst the CBD’s 4,500 retailers3. According to the Council, the City of Melbourne has about 21,000 retail workers who generate about $1.8 billion in output.

https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/red-carpet-treatment-as-luxury-retailers-expand-city-stores-20240306-p5faay.html https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/workers-still-haven-t-fully-returned-to-the-cbd-but-the-city-doesn-t-need-them-20240305p5fa48.html

3

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/open-late-melbourne-s-push-for-twilight-shopping-every-single-night-20240304-p5f9ok.html

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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Hospitality, food and beverage, and entertainment the driving force “The Melbourne CBD continues to undergo a post-pandemic period of renewal,” Lockwood said.

“The momentum in the hospitality and food and beverage sector has continued on from the initial stages of the pandemic recovery, which saw a recordbreaking number of hospitality and entertainment venues open up across the City of Melbourne,”4 “The recession of the 1990s was followed by innovation across the CBD, and we’re now seeing a similar pattern of new hospitality venues opening, laneways being activated and inner-city living taking off again.”

Key deals Lockwood and Fitzroys’ Franklin Gikas have just struck several key deals.

Among the headlining deals is the lease of 758sqm across the ground and first floors of 360 Bourke Street to Unko Museum – also known as the “Cute Poop Museum” – bringing the hugely successful Kawaii Poop Experience from Japan. The interactive exhibit is adorned with adorable and colourful Kawaii décor, and installations, displays, and immersive attractions revolve around 4

the theme of “adorable poop”. It arrives in Melbourne after a successful tour through Japan, visiting cities including Tokyo, Hiroshima and Shizuoka.

At 136 Exhibition Street, a joint venture between Red Rock Leisure Group (Cookie, The Toff) and renowned chef Michael Lambie (ex-Lucy Liu, The Smith) has taken 488sqm with the concept for a contemporary Asian fusion restaurant and bar.

“This part of Exhibition Street has seen a huge transformation in the past 18 months and has effectively connected several hospitality precincts,” Lockwood said.

“The introduction of this new venture, as well as Morris House, Farmer’s Daughters, and Antara 128 has connected the Flinders Lane precinct, around Chin Chin and Garden State Hotel, through to Bourke Street, near Grossi Florentino, Bottega, Pellegrini’s, Fancy Hanks, and Good Heavens Rooftop, and Little Bourke Street, around Longrain, Bodega Underground and Ho Chi Mama.”

At GPT’s transformed Queen & Collins building, Lockwood and Gikas have finalised a new deal for 142sqm to the team behind Franklin Street’s Ichigo for a new French/Japanese fusion concept restaurant plus Remo Nicolini’s A25 Pizzeria has opened up his new ‘Centro’ CBD store in a five year deal over 118sqm.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/incredible-u-turn-as-cbd-shifts-from-work-to-play-20221120-p5bzou.html

“These are great votes of confidence in the CBD from quality operators who have witnessed first-hand the city’s post-pandemic recovery, and want to be a part of it going forward,” Lockwood said.

Shakespeare Hotel building at 167 Exhibition Street to an all-star Filipino hospitality crew with that will set up “Askal”, a contemporary restaurant and bar concept serving exciting Filipino and South East Asian-inspired food alongside bespoke cocktails and a diverse wine list. The crew’s collective experience extends to Rockpool kitchens, Chris Lucas’ stable of restaurants, and hatted venues.

These hospitality deals were struck with secure longterm commitments.

International students Operators have seen the changing the face of Melbourne CBD retail. shift in balance of the CBD towards a lifestyle Lockwood said, “The ongoing return of international students over the past playground and are 12 months – heavily driven by Beijing’s confident in its viability. snap edict at the start of 2023 for Other new hospitality leases include at 121 Exhibition Street where Dumpling Kingdom will open its second store in the CBD, following on from its popular spot on Southern Cross Lane.. Several hospitality retailers have recently agreed to enter Madame Brussels Lane at 50 Lonsdale Street, further strengthening the north east corner of the CBD. They include Chilangos and Buddabah, and Sargon into the lobby café of Casselden place.

They follow a string of hospitality deals struck by Fitzroys towards the end of the reporting period. Headlining those was the lease of the three-level former 5

students to attend overseas courses face-to-face – has continued to reshape the face of Melbourne CBD retail.”

There were nearly 50,000 students from China studying in Victoria in 2023, accounting for around 21% of all international students enrolled in the state5.

“The impact of international students has been seen in what is effectively the expansion of Chinatown out onto Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street in particular, and running northwards, around Melbourne University and RMIT University. As well as dumpling houses, hotpot, ramen bars and Korean BBQ

https://www.education.gov.au/international-education-data-and-research/international-student-numbers-country-state-and-territory

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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that also means more modern food and grab-and-go offerings such as bubble teas.”

“We’ve seen some prominent names such as The Alley Lujiaoxiang come from overseas and set up here, knowing that a number of students will find comfort in and enjoy having recognised names from home operating here.”

Spending by international students accounted for more than half of Australia’s economic growth in 2023, according to NAB. GDP growth was 1.5% in annual terms over the year, and analysis of national accounts figures

by NAB economists found education exports - spending by international students - equalled 0.8 percentage points of annual GDP growth6.

There were almost 650,000 student visa holders in Australia at the close of 2023, up sharply from less than 300,000 in 2021, during the pandemic.

by several macroeconomic factors.

“The expected rebound in household consumption growth throughout 2024 as inflation eases, interest rates begin to decline, and tax cuts take effect, will also help support Melbourne CBD retail,” Lockwood said.

High-end pulling power The Paris end of the city continues to attract a long list of names clambering to join the long roll-call of global luxury retailers headlined by Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Versace and Cartier.

That demand to be in the Paris end and rarity of opportunities has seen the luxury offering continue to creep outwards into Russell Street, Exhibition Street, and Flinders Lane.

Around the Chanel building at the corner of Russell Street and Flinders Lane, momentum is gathering. Spanish luxury brand Loewe and high-end jewellery retailer FRED – both owned

by LVMH – moved into Flinders Lane and Russell Street-fronting shopfronts respectively within Pembroke’s T&G building at 161 Collins Street, home to Gucci, Versace and Bottega Veneta.

On the south east corner of Russell Street and Flinders Lane, LVMH last International student numbers will year bought the 145-149 Flinders remain elevated, and while visa approval Lane building for $39 million, where it numbers could fall back to pre-COVID is expected to set up a new multi-level levels in 2024, this is expected to be offset Christian Dior flagship.

6

https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/foreign-students-are-saving-the-economy-20240308-p5fasz

“It proves the pulling power of the Chanel name,” Lockwood said. Mousse Investments - the owner of Chanel - has just shown its faith in the location by buying its own 10-year-old store for $75 million.

Tenants such as Rolex, Sarah Sebastian and Dion Lee have also been pulled along Exhibition Street due to the premium hotels in the city’s East end.

“There are a number of reasons the expansion can be accommodated.

The exchange rate with the Australian dollar is currently appealing; people are drawn to Melbourne’s events, culture, and food; and the number of flights has increased, meaning there are a lot of people in and around the precinct willing to spend money,” Lockwood said. He added that United Airlines has recently overtaken Qantas as the carrier with the most flights into Australia, increasing the number and size of planes flying into Melbourne7.

Meanwhile, Swanston Street and Little Collins Street have just seen rents bottom out, and tenants are taking opportunities to move into high-quality CBD opportunities they previously didn’t have the chance to, with the result being the notable falls in vacancy.

“In Little Collins Street, we’ve seen multiple bespoke tailors from Fitzroy and Collingwood enquiring about 7

the strip and moving in. Like Chapel Street, South Yarra, rents have come down and we’re beginning to see more edgy fashion tenants in the enquiry,” Lockwood said. A notable increase in specialty tenants (from 32.5% up to 37.2%) along Little Collins Street helped drive down vacancies by nearly 7% to 11.6%.

Major events a boom for Marvellous Melbourne Lockwood said Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour underlined how important major events are to Melbourne. Her three shows in Melbourne were worth $174 million to the CBD economy, according to NAB, while hotels were at around 90% occupancy8 over the weekend of her three February shows.

“Events, conferences, arts, sports, cultural events have been critical as the CBD has been recovering. By some measures it has the lowest retail vacancy of any CBD, but has also been recording the lowest office occupancy rates since the pandemic9.”

“The Taylor Swift tour, the Australian Open, Formula 1 Grand Prix, the Comedy Festival, Spring Fashion Week, and the AFL season and AFL Grand Final Week have all proven to be critical in the Melbourne CBD’s comeback.”

https://www.afr.com/companies/transport/united-airlines-surpasses-qantas-for-us-flights-20231201-p5eoah

8

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/swift-kick-from-concerts-crafts-an-australian-tourism-love-story-20240218-p5f5ts.html

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https://www.propertycouncil.com.au/property-australia/omicron-wave-pushes-office-occupancy-backwards

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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Bourke Street Mall This will introduce a Mecca flagship and a Rodd & Gunn concept store, and add to the immediate vicinity 900 staff from marketing giant Clemenger Group’s Melbourne-based companies across 7,500sqm of new office space.

Local jeweller Michael Hill has just committed to opening a new fivefloor flagship store in the Mall across from its existing shop on the corner of Swanston Street as it repositions itself as a premium brand.

The city’s key shopping strip – located in the very heart of the CBD – is dominated by specialty retail and major department stores Myer and David Jones. It is currently undergoing a period of transition; David Jones has spent $50 million to optimise its store and introduced a Tempus Two bar, sunglasses destination and concessions for luxury brands, while Newmark Capital goes about repositioning the former David Jones menswear store across the Mall.

Tenancy mix 2023

Bourke Street Mall 14%

2024

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

10

12%

 Service

66%

3% 3%

76%

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Mecca, Rodd & Gunn, Universal Store Established tenants: Myer, David Jones, H&M

14%

4% 4% 4%

 Development

 Vacant

Annual change

13.79% 12.0% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $5,000 - $7,500/sqm p.a.

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MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

Maca rthu r St

Bourke Street Like many precincts in the CBD, the eastern stretch of Bourke Street recorded a notable decrease in vacancies over the past 12 months. In contrast to Bourke Street Mall, it has a much heavier presence of hospitality tenants, which rose higher to nearly 46% of all operators. These include restaurant mainstays Pellegrini’s and The Spaghetti Tree, as well as bars and venues such as The Carlton Club, Hotel and Madame Brussells.

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Palace Theatre site, bringing the city its newest 5-star hotel offering, and which also includes high-end cocktail bar Dolly. Activity is supported by the trendy bars dotted through popular branching laneways such as Meyers Place, Crossley Street and Liverpool Street, and the “show crowds” going to The Princess Theatre.

Tenancy mix 2023

Bourke Street 16%

2024

LANE

13

16%

 Service

24%

43%

27%

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Dolly, Good Heavens, Tokyo Motto Established tenants: Pellegrini’s, Grossi Florentino, The Imperial

2%

46%

 Development

14%

1%

9%

 Vacant

Annual change

14.29% 8.9% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $900 - $1,250/sqm p.a.

ChinatownEET Melbourne’s famous Chinatown – home to the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the western world – saw vacancies cut from 13.7% to 7.4%, as the reopening of China’s borders and the return of international students pushed up the presence of food and beverage to more than 50%, and ensured queues were stretching out the door at the famed dumpling houses and eateries that attract visitors from across Melbourne. The influx of international students has seen a modernising of the

Chinatown offering, with new bubble tea outlets such as Toppings ‘n Tea and Taning Lemon Tea opening up, while it has also effectively encouraged the expansion of the precinct further into the laneways and north up Swanston Street and around Lonsdale Street, towards the universities and student accommodation precinct.

Tenancy mix 19%

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MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

14

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MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

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Collins Street East The city’s famed Paris End is home to a roll-call of global luxury retailers such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Versace, and Cartier. The east end of Collins Street again recorded the lowest vacancy rate of any of the CBD precincts, at just 2.6%, with specialty retail accounting for 65% of shops, as high-end retail continued outperform throughout the pandemic years and the Melbourne CBD recovery, insulated from the global financial instability. The Paris

End continues to command prime rents with a long list of retailers constantly clambering to get into the precinct.

The demand to be in the Paris End and a scarcity of opportunities has seen the high-end offering continue to creep outwards into Russell Street and Exhibition Street. Meanwhile, the Town Hall station, at the corner of Swanston Street, is due to open in 2025 and will bring yet more pedestrian traffic in the years to come.

Tenancy mix 2023

11%

68%

2024

Collins Street East

12%

65%

 Service

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Jimmy Choo, Breitling, Moncler Established tenants: Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Balenciaga

16%

16%

 Development

2% 2%

5%

3%

 Vacant

Annual change

2.47% 2.6% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $3,000 - $5,000/sqm p.a.

Collins Street West Completion of towers such as Collins Arch and Olderfleet in recent years has pulled the office core of the CBD westwards, and billion-dollar-plus builds including Charter Hall’s 555 Collins Street, Collins and Hines’ 600 Collins Street are on the way. The steady return of workers to the office and future influx to the western half of Collins Street will further underpin its even mix of service, specialty and food and beverage retail in the coming years.

Italian food hall Mercato Centrale will be making its debut outside of Italy in the McPherson’s Building, fine dining restaurant Freyja has opened in the Olderfleet building, and Cosentino has opened its new showroom that is attracting architects and design professionals to the stretch. The Swanston Street end offers retailers Tiffany & Co. and Burberry, while the InterContinental Hotel is a dominant feature further west.

Tenancy mix 2023

Collins Street West 25%

2024

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

18

26%

 Service

29%

 Specialty

28%

34%

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Swatch, Bang & Olufsen, Suncorp Established tenants: IWC, MJ Bale, Freyja

1%

29%

 Development

18%

2%

10%

 Vacant

Annual change

17.83% 10.2% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $1,000 - $2,500/sqm p.a.

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t St

LIA WIL

FLINDER

RUS

T AL TROBE S

LANE

FLINDERS

ST COLLINS

CHINATOW L E ST

L

L A M T S E BOURK ST LT BOURK

LON A LT LONSD

Ben

FLINDERS ST – LA TROBE ST

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

21

Elizabeth Street ION

IBIT

EXH

Elizabeth Street saw one of the biggest improvements in vacancies in the E ST L A D S LT LON CBD over the past year, although still retains the highest rate of all the precincts. At the south end the strip forms the busy pedestrian trail to and from Flinders Street Station, while the ongoing return of international students over the past year – boosted by the opening of China’s borders and orders

ST

ch

Pun

Ln

en

Coh

T S E L A D S N

Pl

ss Cro Ln

T BOURKE S

rn

the

Sou

t Ln

rke

Ma

WN

for students to participate in face-toface classes – has helped support the northern end, which has developed a varied hospitality offering that caters to the students that attend and live around University of Melbourne and RMIT in particular. Rents have come back at the southern end, while at the northern end rents can reach as high as $2,500 to $3,000 per sqm.

Alfr

Tenancy mix ed

Elizabeth Street

2023

Pl 15%

17%

32%

32%

22%

38%

1%

 Development

 Vacant

12%

L ST

SEL

2024

RUS

 Service

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Hos

Tenancy movement ier

Annual change

Ln

FLINDNERES LA

31%

22.06% 12.2% 2023 2024

New tenants: Zambrero, Hot Lob, Barhion Established tenants: JB Hi-Fi, Coles, Woolworths

Rental rates: $1,500 - $3,000/sqm p.a.

6

Flinders Lane The eastern end of Flinders Lane, from Elizabeth Street to Spring Street, is arguably the most sought-after hospitality precinct in the CBD. The stretch is dominated by a bevy of well-credentialled, popular, buzzing restaurants and bars such as Chris Lucas’s Chin Chin and Andrew McConnell’s Supernormal, Cumulus Inc., and Gimlet at Cavendish House - with a sister venue opening up in the form of new cocktail bar Apollo Inn just a few doors down - as well as busy Garden State Hotel. Spill-over from the luxury set on Collins Street saw LVMH last year buy 145-149 Flinders

Lane, where it is expected to set up a new multi-level Christian Dior flagship, and LVMH-owned Spanish luxury brand Loewe moved into a Flinders Lanefronting shop. Towards Elizabeth Street is an edgy fashion-dominated offering as well as Melbourne’s archetypal café-dominated laneways Degraves Street and Centre Place, which attract a high number of visitors from across Melbourne, Australia and internationally.

Tenancy mix 2023

Flinders Lane 12%

2024

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

22

11%

 Service

25%

48%

25%

 Specialty

1%

56%

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Up There, Apollo Inn, Blakeaway Established tenants: Kisume, Coda, Brunetti Classico

 Development

13%

2% 6%

 Vacant

Annual change

13.25% 6.0% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $1,000 - $2,000/sqm p.a.

s Ln et t

ION IBIT

n Ben

ST

I SPR

Pu n

ch

Ln

NG

Live

ST

l St

o rpo

nP

l

ey ssl Cro

e Coh

L ST SEL RUS

St

Me

sP

l

Sou n

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Ma

rn the

Ln ss Cro

obe

r LaT

T NS

y Alle

S TO

be Glo

Ln en ern Heff

AN SW

Pl

e Alfr

l

Pl

dP

l sel Rus

P rge

Geo

Cau

d

C ACD

Ln

ST

ay sew

L SEL RUS

The

e Oliv

HS

T

r Ln

H os

ier

Ln

n er L est nch Ma Pl tre Cen

l le P itab Equ

l tt A Sco

Bli

gh

Pl

t es S rav Deg

LANE FLINDERS

FLINDNERES LA

FLINDERS

ST S N I L L O C LT

LL

E ST

Flin

der

sC

t

Bon

dS

ST S R E D N I FL t

ELIZABETH ST – SPRING ST INCLUDES: DEGRAVES ST, CENTRE PL, SCOTT AL, MANCHESTER LN, HOSIER LN, OLIVER LN, GEORGE PDE

LANE

ST COLLINS

T MA S E K R U BO

S ST LT COLLIN

T BOURKE S ST

N CHINATOW

LT BOURK

ST LONSDALE

ROBE ST

ION

ST

ch

Pun

Ln

L t

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Pl

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en

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the

Ln

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T NS

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SEL

RUS

The

r Ln

e Oliv

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ier

Hos

Ln

l le P itab Equ

Pl tre Cen

n er L est nch Ma

FLINDNERES LA

HS

l tt A Sco

gh

Pl

t es S rav Deg

Bli

Flin

der

sC

t

Bon

dS

T S S R E D FLIN

IBIT EXH s Ln ett n Ben

L ST

SEL

be Glo

S TO

BE T

LANE

FLINDERS

ST S N I L L O LT C

L L A M T S OURKE

B

RUS

AN SW

ELIZABETH ST – RUSSELL ST

T S E K R U O B U R K ST

N CHINATOW

LT B

ST OL NSDALE T S E B O R T A

L E ST A LT LONSD

t

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

25

Flinders Street

VICTORIA PARADE Albert St

Me ye r sP l

LT COLLIN

S ST

rthu

be added to in 2025 with the opening of the Town Hall Station. The stretch also includes famous hotel Young and Jackson and is bookended at its east

by The Forum, which regularly hosts national and international musicians and acts. Vacancies are consistently low, and are currently at just 5.7%.

Tenancy mix S LANE

FLINDER

Flinders Street

C ACD Ln

2024

2023

T S S N I L L CO

Maca

t

ol S

ST

rpo

Live

ING

r St

SPR

T BOURKE S

Flinders Street between Elizabeth and Russell streets spans Melbourne icons Flinders Street train station and Federation Square. It attracts pedestrian traffic at all hours, from visitors, workers and tourists arriving coming to from the city via Flinders Street station through both the Elizabeth Street and Swanston Street entrances, and the multitude of tram lines running past. That will

14%

32%

17%

17%

 Service

 Specialty

43%

54%

 Food & Beverage

BATM AN AV E Tenancy movement New tenants: Petit Corner, Café Meyamid, Taste of China Established tenants: Daiso, Woolworths, Duke of Wellington

 Development

5%

5%

6%

6%

 Vacant

Annual change

5.41% 5.7% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $1,000 - $2,000/sqm p.a.

La Trobe Street The northern precinct of Melbourne’s CBD is heavily influenced by the presence of university students, in particular the international students that both study and live in the immediate area, and is dominated by eateries offering Chinese, Indian, Korean, Thai, Japanese and other fare.

The return of international students since early 2022, boosted in a big way

by Chinese students returning through the past year, has underpinned activity in this part of the city picking back up across all hours.

Tenancy mix 2023

La Trobe Street

2024

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

26

23%

19%

 Service

18%

10%

 Specialty

41%

9%

57%

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Crazy Fry Chicken, Kata Kita, Esmé Established tenants: Hungry Jacks, Mr Tulk

 Development

5%

9%

10%

 Vacant

Annual change

9.09% 9.5% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $1,000 - $2,500/sqm p.a.

ELIZABETH ST – RUSSELL ST

net Ben

n ts L

L ST SEL

ern Heff

Ln en

be

Glo

rob LaT

T NS

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S TO

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Ru

St

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The

C

ELIZ

B

RUS

AN SW

Har

ST S N I L L O LT C

L L A M T S OURKE

ST

LT BOURK

CHINATOW

L E ST

A LT LONSD

LON

T AL TROBE S

n ts L

ION IBIT EXH

net Ben

ST

Ln

ST

t ol S

S ey

ssl Cro

rpo Live

ING SPR

ch Pun

l

P en

Coh

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t

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rn

the

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Ma

Ln ss Cro

lley

l eP

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A be

S TO

Glo

Ln en

ern Heff

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ed

Alfr

Pl

l lP

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Pd

Cau

C ACD

Ln

L ST

TH

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SEL

RUS

The

ABE

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ST

Hos

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Ln

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Pl tre Cen

l le P itab Equ

l tt A Sco

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gh

Pl

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LANE

FLINDERS

FLINDNERES LA

FLINDERS

ST S N I L L O C LT

BOURKE

E ST

LANE

ST

COLLINS

T

ST M A L L

S ST

LT COLLIN

T BOURKE S

BOURK S

N CHINATOW

Albert St

L E ST A LT LONSD

LT BOURK

ST LONSDALE

T LA TROBE S

VICTORIA PARADE

ELIZABETH ST – SPRING ST

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

29

Little Collins Street Little Collins Street has traditionally been a home for home to a number of fashion boutiques, and specialty retailers today include Seiko Boutique, Patagonia, Sole Motive, and Jay Dillon. Rents appear to have bottomed out and tenants are taking opportunities to move into high-quality CBD opportunities they previously didn’t have the chance to, with bespoke tailors from Fitzroy and Collingwood a notable feature of enquiry.

The heritage building at the corner of Exhibition Street previously home to

European Bier Café has been restored to sprawling pub Morris House, home to distinct offerings on each of its four levels. That complements its developing hospitality scene that includes recent entrant Asian and native Australian fusion restaurant ARU, Italian restaurant Il Bacaro and steakhouse Meat Maiden, while a number of classic Melbourne laneways home to a bevy of bars and cafés run off Little Collins Street, such The Causeway, Russell Place and Meyers Place.

Tenancy mix 2023

15%

32%

2024

13%

37%

34%

1%

18%

Maca

rthu

r St

Little Collins Street

 Service

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Seiko, Kloke, Cookie Box Established tenants: Patagonia, Gormon, Nudie Jeans BATM AN AV E

37%

 Development

1%

12%

 Vacant

Annual change

18.47% 11.6% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $900 - $1,200/sqm p.a.

Retail Core Melbourne’s Retail Core takes in major thoroughfares Swanston Street, Bourke Street Mall, Collins Street and Elizabeth Street, and includes Chinatown as well as laneways Crossley Street, Southern Cross Lane and Russell Place. Much like the broader CBD, food and beverage operators increased their share of shopfronts to 44.4%, bringing vacancy down to 11.1%. Much of the city’s Retail Core has been in a transition phase with the ongoing development of the Town Hall and State

Library Metro train stations, which from 2025 will bring yet more visitors directly to the heart of the CBD and overnight turn construction sites into hives of activity.

Tenancy mix 2023

Retail Core

15%

29%

2024

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

30

18%

25%

 Service

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement

37%

2%

44%

 Development

17%

2%

11%

 Vacant

Annual change

13.79% 12.0% 2023 2024

LA TROBE ST – RUSSELL ST – FLINDERS ST – ELIZABETH ST

n ts L

ION IBIT EXH

net Ben

ST

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S RUS

Ln

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ST

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rn

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Ln

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S TO

be

Ln

the

Sou

S ST

Glo

en

ern Heff

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Pl

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Alfr

sse

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Geo

Pd

Cau

C ACD

Ln

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RUS

The

ELIZ

n

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ST

ier

Hos

Ln

n er L est nch Ma

Pl tre Cen

l le P itab Equ

l tt A Sco

Bli

gh

kP

l

Pl

t es S rav Deg

LANE

FLINDERS

ST

S LT COLLIN

BOU

FLINDNERES LA

COLLIN

ALL R K E ST M

ST

N

LT COLLIN

T BOURKE S

LT BOURK

CHINATOW

L E ST

A LT LONSD

ST LT BOURKE

ST LONSDALE

T LA TROBE S

L E ST A LT LONSD

Flin

der

QU

FLINDERS ST – LA TROBE ST

VICTORIA PARADE

EXH

n ts L

ION IBIT

net Ben

ST

Ln

ST

l St

o rpo

Live

t

S ey

Pl

ssl Cro

en

Coh

ST

Me

ye r

sP

l

Ln

rn

the Sou

t Ln rke

Ma

en

ern Heff

be

ss Cro

Ln

l

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rob LaT

T NS

y Alle

S TO

Glo

T BOURKE S

ING SPR

ch Pun

ELL S RUS

AN SW

dP

l

l lP

sse

e Alfr

Ru

r Geo

d

P ge

Cau

C ACD

Ln

L ST

ay sew

SEL RUS

The

n

er L Oliv

ier

Hos

Ln

l le P

Pl tre Cen

n er L est nch Ma

FLINDNERES LA

LANE

FLINDERS

S ST LT COLLIN

S ST

LT COLLIN

ST

ALL

N

COLLINS

ST M E K R U O B

CHINATOW

ST

LT BOURKE

ST LONSDALE E ST

Albert St

L E ST A LT LONSD

t Sco

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

33

Russell Street The eastern edge of the CBD core and gateway to the “East end” has a high proportion of food and beverage operators – which grew to more than 48% of tenants – including Andrew McConnell’s recently opened Gimlet at Cavendish House on the corner of Flinders Lane.

At the same intersection, momentum is gathering around the Chanel building from the overflow of the luxury set looking to get into the city’s Paris end.

fronting shops, while on the south east corner of Russell Street and Flinders Lane, LVMH last year bought the 145-149 Flinders Lane building for $39 million, where it is expected to set up a new multi-level Christian Dior flagship.

Russell Street begins from Federation Square and The Forum in the south and at its north borders QV Village and RMIT University before the street turns into Melbourne’s world-famous “Little Italy”, Lygon Street.

LVMH-owned high-end jewellery retailer FRED has moved into a Russell Street-

Tenancy mix 14%

27%

40%

19%

48%

2%

16%

2024

Maca r

thur

St

2023

Russell Street

18%

 Service

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Fred, Muse Hair, Loewe Established tenants: Lune, Culture Kings, China Bar

BATM AN AV E

 Development

2%

12%

 Vacant

Annual change

16.49% 11.8% 2023 2024 Rental rates:

$1,500 - $3,000/sqm p.a.

Swanston Street One of the Melbourne CBD’s main thoroughfares, Swanston Street runs through the heart of the city, northwards from the busy intersection with Flinders Street station. Having borne the brunt of the absence of workers and tourists during the pandemic, vacancies have stormed back to just 3.4%, amid a combination of rents bottoming out and tenants taking up prime opportunities that don’t normally present in the CBD, as well as the anticipation of the completion of the Metro Tunnel works.

tracts turned off for construction two new Metro stations – Town Hall, at the southern end between Flinders and Collins Streets, and State Library at its northern end. Scheduled for completion in 2025, these will see several construction sites turned into hives of activity overnight, adding pedestrian traffic day and night across the entirety of the strip, which already features busy hotspots at Flinders Street Station and Melbourne Central, and providing a further boost for retail.

Swanston Street has been in the midst of a major overhaul for years, with vast

Tenancy mix 2023

Swanston Street

2024

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

34

12%

33%

17%

 Service

35%

27%

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Tom’s Project, Sushi Hub, Vapiano Established tenants: Koko Black, Westpac, Chemist Warehouse

1%

51%

 Development

19%

1% 3%

 Vacant

Annual change

18.71% 3.4% 2023 2024 Rental rates:

$2,500 - $4,500 p.a.

FLINDERS ST – LA TROBE ST

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

36

Fitzroys CBD Retail Leasing Team Fitzroys clients include institutional, corporate and private owners within the CBD, Inner Fringe and Suburban markets. Contact us today to discover how we can secure tenants for your retail property.

James Lockwood

Franklin Gikas

DIVISION DIRECTOR - AGENCY

AGENCY EXECUTIVE

03 9275 7749 0402 824 441

03 9275 7715 0459 180 999

lockwoodj@fitzroys.com.au

gikasf@fitzroys.com.au

Retail Leasing Services Clear leasing strategy & advice Leasing of new retail projects, existing developments, creative and heritage space, mixed use developments and specialist property.

Pre-commitment & pre-development advice Project marketing Expert negotiation Regular client communication and progress reports

MELBOURNE CBD RETAIL MARKET REPORT

37

Tenancy mix 2023

16%

2024

Bourke Street

16%

 Service

24%

43%

27%

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Brand, Brand, Brand Established tenants: Brand, Brand, Brand

2%

46%

 Development

14%

1%

9%

 Vacant

Annual change

13.79% 12.0% 2023 2024 Rental rates: $1.200 - $1,500 psm

38

Tenancy mix 2023

16%

2024

Bourke Street

16%

 Service

24%

43%

27%

 Specialty

 Food & Beverage

Tenancy movement New tenants: Brand, Brand, Brand Established tenants: Brand, Brand, Fitzroys Walk The CBD | Retail Market Report 2024 Brand

2%

46%

 Development

14%

1%

9%

 Vacant

Annual change

13.79% 12.0% 2023 2024 Licensed Estate Agents Auctioneers Asset Managers Consultants and Valuers

Disclaimer: The information, views, projections or analysis published in this report including text, graphics, and all images are for general use only and not to be relied upon for financial or related investment in any way. No responsibility or liability whatsoever can be accepted by Fitzroys Pty Ltd for any loss or damage resultant from any use of, reliance on or reference to the contents of this document. Reproduction of any part or whole of this report must seek prior express written approval of Fitzroys Pty Ltd.

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Rental rates: $1.200 - $1,500 psm 360 Collins Street Melbourne