Supa IGA in Ballajura is closing down.
Camera IconSupa IGA in Ballajura is closing down. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Ballajura City Shopping Centre businesses worried about drop in ‘traffic’ with closure of Supa IGA

Kristie LimEastern Reporter

SEVERAL businesses in the Ballajura City Shopping Centre say they will be affected by the upcoming closure of the Supa IGA store.

Store representative Metcash has confirmed the supermarket, which first opened in November 1989 and rebranded to Supa IGA in 2006, will close on March 16.

Closing down signs advertising a 25 per cent discount have been placed on the shopfront.

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A spokeswoman for Ross Farris Real Estate, which represented the centre’s strata owners, said they were not in a position to comment as it was not involved with the management of the supermarket tenancy.

A Cricketers Arms Bar and Restaurant spokesman said the closure was “not good” for the centre.

“(IGA) is what they call an anchor tenant – without an anchor, the ship is going to sail away,” he said.

“We have been trying for the best part of a year to get things going here from the City of Swan and all we have done is hit bricks.”

Signs notifying shoppers of the Supa IGA’s closure.
Camera IconSigns notifying shoppers of the Supa IGA’s closure. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Ballajura News Agency owner Praba Ashwini said businesses were “put in the dark” and did not know what was going to happen to the site.

“It will lose some of the traffic for sure… more than that, many people lost their jobs,” he said.

Carne Cucina Quality Butchers owner Anthony Pullella said businesses could only wait for an outcome.

“It will obviously have an impact in the short-term but in the long-term, most of the tenants will still be trading as it is,” he said.

“It won’t be good but what can you do.

“You want either a supermarket or something to take up the retail space, even a couple of shops, because it is a very big area.”

Success Tax Professionals owner Amir Banare said while it was “very sad” to see IGA close, it was not a big issue for his business.

“I don’t think it will affect my business because I have too many clients,” he said.

“Some of my clients come from south and most of them send information via email.”

IGA Australia and the City of Swan have been contacted for comment.

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