1927 Woolworths expands to Brisbane

No thought had been given to a ‘chain’ of stores until an offer of premises on highly advantageous terms resulted in Woolworths opening a second store at Queen Street, Brisbane on 6 August 1927. In 1928 a second store was opened in Brisbane at The Valley. Further variety stores in Brisbane and other towns followed.

In May 1958 the Company acquired BCC Stores Queensland, a company that was already experienced in developing supermarkets. BCC was the company founded by Claude Fraser, widely recognised as the `father of self service food retailing in Australia'.

It was also the first self service grocery shop in Australia. He was the first grocer to use shopping trolleys, his stores had the first self service refrigerated cabinets, the first self service deli counter and were the first to package such basic food items as sugar and flour in cellophane packs.