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Exclusive: Revamped shopping complex a haven for foodies, artists

Published 3:45pm 13 July 2022

Words by Ashleigh Howarth

Specialty coffee, gelato, pizza, burgers, a wine bar and even a greengrocer are locked in to open their doors at a new retail hub in Woody Point.

Work has begun on transforming the existing shopping complex on the corner of King and Alfreda streets, which will be known as the Woody Point Marketplace.

Shaneal Sharma, creator of the Woody Point Marketplace, says while he bought the complex on June 9, he spent months prior to the purchase searching for the right businesses.

“I wanted to provide a destination for foodies, so I personally handpicked the businesses over a six-month period,” he says.

“I wanted the best of the best to be part of the Marketplace.

“But when it came down to it, it wasn’t just about the food – it was also about their demeanour, their community spirit and who can consistently provide the best food and atmosphere.

“We have Eat Pizza, Oh Gelato and the Peninsula’s most famous burgers, Beardy’s, which is now official, all coming here to the Woody Point Marketplace.

See what Beardy's has to say here.

“In addition, we are 100 per cent doing a greengrocer, because we have space at the back of the building which will have a whole fruit and vegetable section, as well as its own green keeper.

“There will also be a secret wine bar, which will be open on weekends.”

The existing businesses in the complex will be staying.

“The laundry facility is staying, and so is the butcher, who will be changing their name to King Street Butcher Co,” Shaneal says.

“The newsagency has been here for 11 years, and at the moment they are staying.”

While many of the businesses will open sporadically during the next few weeks, there will be a launch event in spring which Shaneal plans to share with the community.

See what the hub will look like in the gallery below.

A treat for the tastebuds

The Marketplace will feature a garden and outdoor seating area which will not only provide local ingredients for the businesses to use, but also a relaxing spot for groups to gather.

“In the garden, we will be growing our own herbs and vegetables, all of which will be used by our businesses,” Shaneal says.

“We will be growing things like oregano, ochre, eggplant – seasonal fruit and vegetables that will be used by the eateries.

“Eat Pizza will also join forces with the butcher to create their own original pizza toppings you won’t find anywhere else.

“There will also be an array of herbs and spices right out of Italy, which we will combine with the meats from the butcher to create things like our own pepperoni and salami.”

“Out the back, there will also be plenty of seating and once a month we will have a petting farm.

“On Saturday mornings, there will be markets and what that means is the whole back area will have fresh produce available every Saturday morning without fail.”

Above: Woody Point Marketplace creator Shaneal Sharma, who is also a former Australian pop star.

Drawing inspiration from his musical past

Shaneal is well known not only in the Moreton Bay Region, but also on the world stage.

“When I was younger, I used to compete in all the eisteddfods here and I won a lot of them,” he says.

“I also have four top 10 global hits and have performed all over the world as a recording artist.

“I produce artists like Timomatic, and worked with DJs, Kanye West, John Legend and the band War.

“It’s because of my musical career that I would never call myself a property developer - I like to think of myself as more of an artistic creator of spaces.”

Therefore, Shaneal has also created the Marketplace to be a space for other artists to come and perform.

“When I envisioned the space, the focus was on good music, food and culture, and just bringing people together,” he says.

“We will have a little pop-up stage, so there will be musicians coming through regularly.”

Above: Work has started on the new Woody Point Marketplace, with painters and construction workers seen on site.

The first of many projects

When it came to finding the perfect location to create the marketplace, Shaneal says Woody Point ticked all the boxes.

“It has always been a dream to have a little precinct and create a nice spot for the community to come and visit,” he explains.

“You have got someone who has worked in Las Vegas, New York, Italy, Singapore and Japan – basically all over the world – but I chose this specific spot because I love what it has to offer.

“I will be doing more in the area. This is the first of a series of plans.

“I don’t want to be taking over an entire street. I want to do up nice little shops and focus on quality not quantity.”

The proximity to the water was also a big plus.

“We are 300m from the water, so you will be able to come down and grab a burger, a pizza and gelato and then head to the water.

“There will be rental bikes people can hire with little picnic baskets, which is very Byron Bay.

“There will also be bike racks, scooter racks and dog latches and bowls – it’s very pet-friendly and people-friendly.”

Shaneal has also met with Councillor Karl Winchester who is in favour of the development.

"Council is extremely supportive and will be in discussion with engineers to support the vision of a safe community hub to include parking solutions and bike racks," Shaneal says.