Carlingford North Shopping Centre
Originally known as West Epping Shopping Centre these retail and commercial premises were initially built at a critical watershed in how we shopped.
Built upon land of the Wallumeda (Dharug speaking) people, it was then part of a grant in 1856 of 56 acres to John McRoberts. It remained within the broader Mc Roberts and related families until 1959 when just over 5 acres was purchased by Robert John Lees a neighbouring poultry farmer and the parcel of just over 4 acres comprising what is the majority of the commercial space was purchased by Contemporary Timber Homes Pty Ltd. Between 1961 and 1963 the land was subdivided into largely the current commercial configuration anchored by the petrol station on the corner of Pennant Parade and North Rocks Road.
The watershed that was happening at this time was the shift from stand alone department stores (like David Jones, Farmers, Anthony Horderns) and shopping strips with shops fronting a road or other public space and servicing a local community, and the development of a shopping mall which was inward facing and centred around a supermarket or department store. In 1959 the first Westfield shopping mall was constructed by John Saunders and Frank Lowry in Blacktown. In 1961 the Village Arcade was built in Beecroft – with a small supermarket located in the ‘centre’ of the arcade. In 1963 Anthony Horderns built its first department store in a Sydney suburban shopping centre at West Ryde. Then 2 years later Carlingford Village (now Carlingford Court) opened with Farmers department store as the anchor. In the early 1970s Westfield built its mall in North Rocks and in 1972, the Module was built in Beecroft.
Contrary to these developments these shops formed part of retail history built around a strip and which was designed to serve only the immediate neighbourhood.
The initial strip of shops was (from 1962) were built and owned by Edward Poulton and were then extended eastward by West Epping Shopping Centre Limited.
After pressure from the local community, the shopkeepers and the local State member, Andrew Tink, from 2005 vehicular access and parking was immeasurably improved to enhance the use of this shopping precinct. This contributed to the change in these shops as their reliance on the local neighbourhood started to diminish and instead customers had to be attracted from further afield. The shopping strip started instead to become a hub.
A history of shop occupancy remains incomplete but looks (heading from west to east) something like the following mix of retail opportunities and store history:
|
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
H |
I |
J |
|
1960-69 |
Service Station |
News/Post Office |
Green grocer |
Hardware |
Grocery |
Butcher |
Pharmacy |
Dress/ Haberdashery |
|
|
|
1970-79 |
|
|
|
|
Bakery |
|
|
|
Grocery |
Doctor |
|
1990-99 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Haberdashery /video store |
|
Swimming pool |
|
2000-09 |
|
|
Chicken |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquor |
|
2010-20 |
|
Swimming pool |
|
Florist |
|
|
|
News/post office |
|
|
A. Originally an Ampol Service Station owned by the Rothwell Family. There was also a fruit shop on this site owned by the Bietola family until they moved to Beecroft. The Carlingford Car Service Station was opened by Ron Engel and moved to the Mobil franchise.
B. Mrs Elva Denny originally managed the newsagency (and post office) and Helen Finch and Mrs McDonald worked in it until it changed ownership in 1984. In the late 1970s and early 1980s they sold baby and dolls clothes as well. Kevin Kench then ran the business before John & Beth Redpath took over in 1984. They moved the store to H.
C. The Green grocer was originally owned by Phillip Lopez. Then it was conducted by Sam, Julie and Roy Bietola until they moved to the service station. It is now Chickensalt.
D. Starting as a hardware store it became a florist run by Maureen Masterman and then the Osbornes and then “Beautiful Blossoms” (1994 to 2017) run by Lynda Longley and was then vacant for about 18 months prior to becoming “Blooming Day” Floral (from 2020).
E. Originally Warman’s grocery it became a Jewells franchise until relocating to I. It then became Alan Booth’s Cake & Pie Shop. David William commenced his apprenticeship in this store at age 16 until owning the business since 1992 as David’s Cakes.
F. The Butcher was originally owned by the brothers Fayer, Loy, Laslo and Peter Parcsi but is now Websters Gourmet Meats owned by Sarah and Duncan Webster.
G. the pharmacy was initially owned by Edward Poulton who sold to Tony Barraket who also had the pharmacy in Carlingford Court. His manager was Brian Allman who went on to own Beecroft Pharmacy. In 2003 it changed its name to Carlingford North Pharmacy and is owned by Simon Greville.
H. originally a dress shop and haberdashery. It was later divided to open as a video store. It was changed, in 1997 to the newsagency when the Redpath’s moved from B. It continues as a newsagency and Australia Post managed by Paveen Sharma.
I. This became the grocery store having moved from E. The franchise arrangement changed from Jewell to The Friendly Grocer. It then became Rossi Fresh Grocer.
J. Initially a doctor’s surgery it then became a pool shop before converting to a liquor store – at first Select Liquor and now Liquor Central Carlingford Shop
At the rear of the extension area was
(i) initially a hairdresser which is now Discount Ped Meds – owned since 2020 by Ed & Monique Etzeniny;
(ii) up the stairs was a dental surgery from 1972-1981 of Eugene Irvin which is now Sydney Mobile Podiatry – owned since 2019 by Sarah Connery.