Panda Mart had its Brisbane soft opening on Friday. Source: Facebook/Panda Mart
Desperate shoppers dodged stray cardboard boxes and battled rapidly emptying shelves as giant discount chain Panda Mart erupted into its second state – and just its third store nationwide.
Think Bunnings, Kmart, and IKEA rolled into one massive, Temu-style warehouse – all slashed to dirt-cheap bargain prices from $1 for “KmtStyle” workout gloves to $799 full dining sets.
If you missed queuing at the start, you certainly did at the end. Source: Sophie Foster
If you can’t see your size, check the bottom of the shelf or the floor. Source: Sophie Foster
The chain’s third Australian location occupies the colossal Rocklea footprint vacated by Bunnings following historic floods in Brisbane – complete with the green trim left painted across the building.
While doors officially opened on Monday, the madness actually kicked off during Friday’s soft launch when what began as a controlled sneak peek rapidly devolved into retail warfare across aisles packed with everything from fitness gear, toys, and power tools to barbecues, camping equipment, homewares, and viral travel luggage.
Panda Mart – which launched in South Africa in 2010 and now operates more than 100 stores worldwide – declared “the wait is over” for Queensland.
Days afterwards, a walk-through in the final hours before its 8pm closing showed zero signs of the frenzy cooling off.
Specialised traffic management crews and extra security were deployed to the carpark to keep tempers from boiling over as drivers hunted for parks, with dozens risking illegal parking fines on surrounding industrial streets.
Staff struggled to reload shelves fast enough for some items. Source: Sophie Foster
Under the harsh glare of old Bunnings industrial lights, the city’s newest retail hotspot was already looking decidedly worse for wear upon entry.
Fevered crowds transformed the floor into an extreme obstacle course – shoppers used trolleys like territory flags to claim space, clogging aisles while kicking fallen stock out of their way – often straight under the wheels of the person behind them.
Despite Brisbane already being saturated with Kmart, Bunnings, Big W, Target, and IKEA stores, seeing locals display this level of shopping desperation days after launch was eye-opening.
The secret to why everyone was getting so aggressive, however, hit me square in the face once I was in the hiking aisle.
Laid out before me was every Temu and AliExpress item I had ever saved online hoping to replace expensive brand-name gear.
There were $199 four-person tents by NatureHike displayed alongside $1.50 titanium cups, $12 camping pot sets, sleeping bag liners, and backpacks – all bearing unbranded labels most Aussies have never heard of.
Temu in real life in the hiking aisle with NatureHike tents for $135. Source: Sophie Foster
Holding those Chinese-manufactured products in my hands rather than staring at them on a screen – and feeling the quiet victory of talking myself out of buying them all – made the suburban warfare worth it. (Even if I lacked the baseline survival skills needed to dodge a pair of rogue preschoolers sprinting blindly into trolley traffic).
Browsing the hardware section, I asked a few tradies if the tools were up to scratch.
“No, it’s not – unfortunately,” one sighed, putting a $10 drill attachment back.
“Nah! Pity,” another muttered, sidestepping a flattened cardboard box in the aisle.
Others clearly felt differently, leaving entire sections completely wiped clean.
Despite an army of staff attempting to restock, major gaps lined the walls – including Ikea-style cushions, Bunnings-style toolkits and bags, and Kmart-style workout gear.
The pro tip? If a shelf is empty, check the floor, look under the display base, or search the opposite aisle where it likely got kicked in the rush.
Anyone feeling superior by popping in for “just one item” – like the popular $399 rolling cooler with a built-in bottle opener – was quickly brought back to reality at the registers, where the checkout line snaked down the entire length of the building.
$399 chilly bin/cooler box with legs, and built in bottle opener. Source: Sophie Foster
If you’re planning to brave the site, wear comfy shoes, throw on a crossbody bag and park away from the main parking zone to avoid parents executing high-stress 3-point turns with overloaded trolleys and exhausted kids.
Despite the carpark gridlock and safety warnings, shoppers can’t seem to get enough – with regional locals already begging for stores in their own backyards.
“Can you put one up at Rockhampton please, ASAP!” one follower commented online, while another urged: “Come to Geelong so we can shop!”
One eagle-eyed bargain hunter even did the real estate scouting themselves: “Sale in Victoria has an old empty Bunnings store that would make a great Panda Mart.”
In the end, I escaped with a $33.85 receipt – and a harsh lesson in self-control.
While I managed to resist the technical hiking gear, I clearly need to work on turning down impulse buys like a $1.50 phone stand, $2 gym gloves and a $7 pilates bar I will almost certainly never use.
Consider yourself forewarned.
Okay fine… I didn’t shop smarter at all. There is stuff in this bag I absolutely do not need, but it was cheap – and for the record, I’m using the $1.50 phone stand right now.