# Bayside Shopping Centre

Bayside Shopping Centre (colloquially known as "Bayside") is a regional shopping centre in Frankston, Victoria, Australia, approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Melbourne CBD. The complex, opening in 1972, has a combined gross leasable area of 88,843 m$^2$ (956298 sq ft), 3,452 parking spaces and over 200 stores.
The center consists of 5 distinct main sections, 3 of which operated independently before merging into a single megastore in the late 1990s. The northern building, constructed in 2004, introduced a new supermarket area. The sections are linked by bridges, interior ramps, and footpaths.

## History
### Early Years

The Frankston CBD originally had three main shopping centres: Bayside, Balmoral Arcade and Quayside.
The original iteration of Bayside Shopping Centre, located between Beach Street and Ross Smith Avenue, opened on 3 October 1972 with a Myer department store, a McEwans hardware store (now Bunnings), a Ritchies (IGA) supermarket and 52 speciality stores. It was owned by the National Mutual Life Association of Australasia.
Balmoral Arcade was developed by Hanover Holdings in 1973 and was located at the western end of Station Street, between Shannon Street (now a pedestrian mall) and Key Street, opening with 19 speciality stores.
Quayside Shopping Centre opened in 1991 in the area between the aforementioned stores, located on the car-park between Ross Smith Avenue and Station Street. It featured a Target department store, a Coles supermarket and 72 speciality stores. Bayside and Quayside were also linked by an enclosed bridge over Ross Smith Avenue (now encapsulating the whole road below with a food court and pathing).

### Acquisition

Bayside and Balmoral were acquired by John Gandel, the owner of Quayside, during the late-1990s. Subsequent transfers would place it under the ownership of CFS Retail Property Trust (and later, Vicinity Centres). Upgrades to facilities would be produced by CFS.
In 2004 the centre underwent a $63 million redevelopment which included a new multi storey carpark and 55 new stores including a Kmart and Woolworths. A second-floor bridge was also erected over Beach Street to accommodate pedestrian activity. The development was completed in March 2006.
An entertainment precinct on Wells Street, accessible from the Shannon Street Mall, was implemented and features a 12 screen Australian Multiplex Cinema complex (now Hoyts), a Strike Bowling Bar, Holey Moley and 10 restaurants/food outlets.
An upgrade in 2011 brought the combined total cost of development to AU$200 million since 1999, with reconfigured tenancies including an entire level dedicated to fashion stores, a brand-new third-level food court and an Aldi supermarket in the 2004 North building.

### Planned Expansion

Another upgrade starting in 2023 removed the third-level food court and the entire floor was replaced by Hub Australia's 'Hub Local' suites which are new, contemporary office suites located directly above the retail precinct. As a stepping stone towards this, the 3-floor Myer store was closed down and replaced with a UNIQLO store on level 1 and new TK Maxx and Rebel Sport stores on the ground floor. The relocation of the TK Maxx and Rebel Sport stores also provide space for a new 8-storey office tower directly next to the centre that is currently yet to be constructed due to no tenant being found yet.

## Tenants

Bayside Shopping Centre has 88,843m² of floor space, comprising 241 stores over three levels serviced by 3,452 car spaces. The major retailers, which are located at either end of the centre, include Target, Kmart, Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and Hoyts cinema. The mini major tenants also include UNIQLO, JB Hi-Fi, Strike Bowling Bar, TK Maxx, Rebel Sport, Chemist Warehouse, JD Sports, and more. Former tenants include Myer, Lincraft, Best & Less and Toys R Us.

## Transport

Frankston station is located 5 minutes away from the station which runs frequent trains on the Frankston railway line to Frankston and Flinders Street (Via Caulfield, and the City Loop).
Bayside Shopping Centre has bus connections to Mornington East, Portsea, Pearcedale, Carrum and surrounding suburbs. It is served by Kinetic Melbourne with bus stops on the Nepean Highway and Dandenong Valley Highway.
Bayside Shopping Centre also has a multi level car-park with 3,452 spaces.

## Incidents

* On 30 March 2016, a blackout caused a group of up to 20 youths to fight. This outage occurred over 30 minutes. Stores were placed into lockdown. Minutes after the blackout started, the aforementioned brawl began. The blackout was caused after a fire at a United Energy substation near Frankston Train Station earlier in the morning.
* On 21 December 2017, a gas cylinder exploded at the Bob Jane T-Marts' workshop just outside the centre shortly after 7 pm. Witnesses reported hearing multiple 'bangs' and visible flames. The explosion occurred only two hours after a four-wheel drive was driven into pedestrians at Flinders Street in the CBD.