Remember the thrill of a drive-in movie? That feeling is similar to what shoppers experienced when Top Ryde City first opened. This isn’t just another shopping center. Top Ryde City has a story etched in retail history.
Originally named Top Ryde Shopping Centre, it opened its doors on November 14, 1957. Premier Joe Cahill himself inaugurated this retail marvel. It was NSW’s first post-war, open-air shopping center. Australia’s second mall-type complex followed Brisbane’s Chermside Drive-In Shopping Centre.
Peter Benjamin of the A.J. Benjamin retailing family envisioned Top Ryde City. He toured American shopping centers in 1953. He met Peter Yeoman in Detroit and together, they designed a Sydney shopping center. Yeoman suggested apricot brick and windowless design. Benjamin sketched the layout.
A.J. Benjamin & Co anchored Top Ryde. It also featured Franklins supermarket, a variety store, and 45 shops around a mall. 400 parking spaces were available. Gordon Andrews, a friend of Peter Yeoman, designed a modern sculpture. The motto was “come as you are…shop in comfort.” It was a new shopping experience. People no longer needed to travel to Sydney or Parramatta for major department stores.
Lendlease purchased Top Ryde in 1962. Woolworths opened in 1963. The center expanded with specialty shops. Car parking increased by 200 spaces. Grace Bros took over A.J. Benjamin’s store in 1964. A ten-pin bowling alley opened in the 1970s. It was known as BowlAustralia’s WondABowl- Top Ryde and rebranded to AMF Bowling in 2003.
Top Ryde underwent refurbishment in 1986. It was renamed Top Ryde Shopping Square. A multi-story carpark was built. The mall area received roofing and upgrades. Venture moved into Grace Bros’ former space.
The opening of Macquarie Centre in 1981 impacted Top Ryde. Other centers like Westfield Hornsby also affected trade. Target closed around 2005–2006. The center became almost a dead mall. It featured Woolworths, Franklins, a bowling alley, and 90 stores mostly banks.
In July 2007, the center was demolished. Redevelopment began. The new center was named Top Ryde City.
Stage 1 opened on November 5, 2009. It featured 115 stores including Woolworths and Big W. Subsequent stages opened throughout 2010. Stage 2 included Aldi and Rebel Sport. Stage 3 brought the Myer department store.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard officially opened Top Ryde City on August 20, 2010. Event Cinemas and Ryde Library opened in February 2011.
The original owners entered administration in 2011. Blackstone purchased Top Ryde in November 2012.
In 2014, Crown Group Holdings completed Top Ryde City Living apartments.
Myer closed in 2015 due to poor sales. A Kmart store opened in 2016. Coles supermarket opened on November 9, 2016. Harris Scarfe opened in 2017 but closed in 2020. Timezone and Zone Bowling replaced it in 2021.
Today, Top Ryde City boasts 78,125 square meters of floor space. Major retailers include Big W, Kmart, and Woolworths. Buses connect Top Ryde to Sydney CBD and other suburbs.
Top Ryde City stands as a testament to retail evolution. From its pioneering open-air design to its modern incarnation, it continues to serve the community.