Spotlight Group Holdings has opened the largest purpose-built outdoor store in the country, anchoring a $92 million Brisbane retail precinct with more than 6,000 square metres of floor space built around product trial.
Anaconda Adventure HQ opened on Saturday at Brendale, on the corner of South Pine Road and Old North Road. The store is designed around a try-before-you-buy format, with customers able to test product on site before purchase.
The fit-out includes a sub-zero snow cave that holds temperatures as low as -10°C for testing snow and rainwear, and a 40-foot aquarium stocked with live barramundi that runs regular demonstrations on lure action and retrieval technique. A three-metre saltwater crocodile is mounted above the tank. A fishing simulator replicates real conditions on the water and an indoor marina carries fully rigged boat, motor and trailer packages set alongside a recycled Queensland jetty.
A recreated outback campground, complete with a six-metre gum tree, native wildlife and bush sounds, allows customers to walk into pitched tents and compare setups. A heritage display holds the original Mountain Designs expedition suit worn by Toowoomba adventurer Alyssa Azar when she became the first Australian woman to summit Everest from both the north and south faces in 2016.
Anaconda CEO Chris Lude said the concept goes beyond conventional shopping.
"Anaconda Adventure HQ has been built to let people experience, test and learn about the outdoors before they even leave the store," said Lude.
"Whether you're planning your first camping trip, a family holiday, a fishing adventure, or a ski trip, this destination is designed to inspire and educate. We want Anaconda Adventure HQ to be just as exciting as getting out there and having the adventure itself."
The store has created more than 50 jobs and lands in the middle of an aggressive Queensland expansion for the group, which has opened eight stores across the southeast of the state in the past month.
Spotlight Group Holdings executive deputy chairman Zac Fried said the format points to where physical retail is heading.
"Anaconda Adventure HQ is really the blueprint for where physical retail is going. People don't just want to grab gear from a shelf anymore; they want to experience it, test it and be inspired before they buy," said Fried.
"Investing in Southeast Queensland and bringing a flagship of this size to the City of Moreton Bay is hugely exciting for us... Anaconda Adventure HQ is also the latest example of Spotlight Retail Group's continued investment in Queensland."
City of Moreton Bay mayor Peter Flannery said the investment reflects the region's growth.
"With 6.4 million visitors enjoying our beaches, bays, hinterland and outdoor experiences each year, it's a natural fit for a city known for its outdoor lifestyle and adventure offerings," said Flannery.