Country Road to open Ballarat store in historic Sturt Street building

It has become one of the most anticipated potential new tenants amid a revival for central Ballarat shopping.

Country Road Ballarat will open in the building that once housed the state bank and later the Victorian Chambers of Commerce, on the corner of Camp Street.

A spokesperson for Country Road also confirmed the Ballarat store would feature products across all lifestyle ranges: woman, man, child and home.

The store, in a building dating back to 1872, is also set to be designed targeting a five-star green star rating with the Green Building Council of Australia.

The historic, landmark property was sold for about $2.1 million sight-unseen in June 2021 to a Melbourne couple on the first day pandemic travel restrictions were lifted on the state's capital.

Less than a year later the property was back on the market to generate interest in a potential sale or to find a leasee. The commercially zoned property was remodeled and extended in 1978 then refurbished in 1999.

Colliers Ballarat senior executive Charles Kennedy flagged in The Courier last week a lease had been finalised for the property to an anchor tenant with a focus on the regional market.

Mr Kennedy said it was an exciting time for the city's centre which was in a strong position to draw big names keen to tap into Ballarat's booming population growth.

This was a trend starting to emerge before the pandemic with popular lifestyle store Provincial Home Living completely transforming the corner of Sturt and Armstrong streets in what had previously been a tired home to Collins Booksellers and, before that, George Crocker Drapery and Outfitters.

The national homewares store opened with a glamourous sweeping staircase leading up to an in-store cafe, which had also been a key feature in its Warrnambool store.

A revitalisation in the east end of Sturt Street has continued to pick up in the past year with the likes of boutique perfumery Sweet Fern relocating to the precinct and Wildflower florist Kristy Tippett confirmed late last year confirming she was set to relocate to the ground floor of the old Unicorn Hotel. That historic property, dating back to the mid-1800s, was bought by the team behind luxury accommodation Hotel Vera a year earlier.

Myer also confirmed to The Courier last week upgrades to its Central Square store were set to start early next month, continuing a 70-year history in Ballarat.

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Nearby, major home goods destination retailer Minimax opened in the Bridge Mall in November as part of a long-term redevelopment for the shopping spot.

Country Road's parent group also boasts its fashion brands Mimco and Witchery in Ballarat, both moving into Central Square in the year before the pandemic.

The Country Road label ventured further into western Victoria last year, opening a store in Warrnambool's Liebig Street. Warrnambool was identified both as a tourist location and for its loyal customer base, of which many had been trekking to their closest store in Geelong.

A selection of Country Road products had been available via Myer Ballarat until 2018 when the Country Road Group entered an exclusive deal with department store David Jones.

Country Road Ballarat is also a short walk from the city's dynamic Armstrong Street foodie scene, which has been spilling into new offerings on Mair Street.

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