After Decades in Business, The Gap’s Loot Homewares to Cease Operations

Loot Homewares, the beloved home goods and gift shop located in a shopping centre in The Gap, has announced it will be having a closing sale with all merchandise marked down by up to half price. 


Read: Brisbane’s Cafe Tara: Building Community Over Breakfast for 18 Years


This news comes after the shop revealed it will be permanently shutting its doors after more than two decades of business at The Gap location. Loot Homewares first opened in the shopping centre around 25 years ago and has been run by the same owner for the last 15 years.

The store has become a beloved destination for Gap residents to purchase high-quality home decor, furniture, trinkets, and gift items over the decades. However, the current economic climate and decline in business has forced the owners to make the difficult decision to close up shop.

Photo credit: James Cridland/Google Maps

As longtime Gap residents themselves, the owners are known for their charitable contributions and support of local causes. The closure is said to be especially hard on them after dedicating so much time and service to the community.

With an Instagram account now set to private and Facebook page to be deleted next month, Loot is encouraging past customers to stop by its brick and mortar shop one last time for major deals on its remaining inventory.

Photo credit: Loot Homewares – The Gap/Facebook

The owners expressed gratitude to the many loyal customers over the years who supported the small business and helped it thrive for as long as it did. 

Shoppers looking to take advantage of storewide savings can visit Loot Homewares inside The Gap Village Shopping Centre before it shuts down permanently.


Read: Ritual HQ: End of an Era as Brisbane Gym Chain Closes The Gap Outlet


Hard Times for Local Shops

The challenging economic climate has led to increasing operating costs for many small businesses in 2023, and projections show the situation worsening in 2024. CreditorWatch forecasted that the business failure rate could rise from 4.4 percent to nearly 6 percent by the end of next year.

With small businesses facing these increasing pressures, many will be forced to close their doors for good. However, there are still opportunities for businesses willing to adapt to the changing conditions and find creative solutions to ride out the storm. 

Published 3-February-2024 

Meet Santa and Enjoy the Christmas Cheer At The Gap Village

The Christmas season has arrived and is in full swing at The Gap Village Shopping Centre. With a series of delightful events lined up and FREE Kids Club activities, families are in for a treat!



Meet Santa

Meet Santa the Gap
Photo Credit: The Gap Village Shopping Centre

This Saturday and on two upcoming Saturdays—December 9th and 16th—families have the chance to meet Santa himself. From 10 am to 2 pm, near Aldi, Santa will be available for free photos. No bookings are necessary, ensuring everyone gets an opportunity to capture this magical moment.

Santa’s Village Scavenger Hunt

Photo Credit: The Gap Village Shopping Centre

The excitement continues with the Santa’s Village Scavenger Hunt, a thrilling adventure running until December 18th. Pick up a scavenger hunt sheet from participating stores and embark on a quest to discover hidden miniature storefronts. Complete the hunt for a chance to win a fantastic prize.

FREE Kids Club: CHRISTMAS FUN at THE GAP VILLAGE

Photo Credit: The Gap Village Shopping Centre

The Gap Village Shopping Centre ensures the little ones are not left out of the festive merriment with an array of Kids Club events.

Gingerbread House Decorating

On Tuesday, December 12th, children aged 4 and above can unleash their creativity by decorating their very own gingerbread houses at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., absolutely FREE!

Christmas Disco Party

On December 19th at 10 a.m., the centre will host a free two-hour disco extravaganza filled with dancing elves, music, and games. Open to children aged 3 and above, it promises to be a blast of holiday fun.

Christmas Bauble Decorating

Drop by on December 20th between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to craft personalised Christmas baubles. A perfect opportunity for children aged 4 and above to add their touch to the tree decorations.

Magic Show

Start the new year with wonder as Super Steph presents an interactive magic show on January 10th, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. Suitable for children aged 2 and above, it’s an enchanting way to kick off the New Year.



The Gap Village Shopping Centre is transforming into a hub of holiday cheer, inviting residents to join in the festivities and create cherished memories with family and friends. These diverse events promise something special for everyone, making this holiday season one to remember at The Gap.

Published 2-December-2023

The Gap’s Old Coffee Club to Become a New Tavern

A development application has been lodged proposing to redevelop The Gap’s Old Coffee Club into a new tavern.

Plans for the refurbishment of The Gap’s Old Coffee Club involves the construction of a tavern with indoor and outdoor dining. The proposal intends to preserve the height and scale of the existing building and refurbish the vacant tenancy.

The Gap's Old Coffee Club
Photo credit: www.yourneighbourhood.com.au

The idea of converting the Old Coffee Club into a new tavern is welcomed by some locals saying that such a place is needed in the suburb. However, some residents are concerned about parking and the tavern’s current location.

According to the proposed plans, the tavern will be utilising existing car park spaces of The Gap Village shopping centre. Access locations are retained to Waterworks Road and Glen Affric Street.

The Gap's Old Coffee Club
Photo credit: www.yourneighbourhood.com.au

The Council had already carried out an initial review of the development application. The Council is now requiring the developer to address a couple of issues. One of the concerns raised is that the outdoor dining might interfere with pedestrian traffic as it is too close to the entrance and pathway to the shopping centre.

The Gap's Old Coffee Club
Photo credit: www.yourneighbourhood.com.au



The developer has three months to address the issues enumerated at the Council’s Information Request prior to the assessment of the application.

Should the application be approved, the new tavern will be operating from 10:00 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.

For more information, check out the Application Details for A004980868.

 

ALDI At The Gap Village Shopping Centre Opening Mid-Year, New Store Format Brings More Fresh Produce

It has only been a year since the ALDI store development application at The Gap Village Shopping Centre was fully approved. The DA, which was submitted to the council in 2015, includes extensions for ALDI, mall area, and shops. With the construction currently underway, many are wondering when it will open.

ALDI confirmed that construction work is on schedule and that they will be opening their 1,760- square-metre store in the middle of the year. However, a definite date has yet to be set.

New Stores, New Store Format

The German retailer is also set to open and refurbish a number of stores across the country this year due to the intensifying competition brought about by the entry of Schwarz Group into the country’s grocery sector.

There will be 32 additional stores this year in the country and plans of a new store format will be introduced to 40 stores. This new format will bring more focus to fresh produce, healthy food, organic products, and meat.

With the new strategy, other supermarket giants such as Coles and Woolworths are feeling the challenge to step up their efforts as well. ALDI isn’t known for focusing on fresh food but with this new perspective and with more people demanding organic and fresh food, ALDI has definitely taken their standards up a notch.

They aim to accomplish the roll-out of their new store format in all of their Australian stores by 2020.