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Leo’s Supermarket in Heidelberg will close earlier than planned, with shoppers reporting flagging customer numbers and dwindling stock.
But the new owner of the site, in Burgundy Street, revealed that a new supermarket and five shops will replace it.
Customers on Sunday said they were sad that after 25 years of trading, Leo’s Fine Food and Wine supermarket in Heidelberg, which is known for its gourmet produce, will shut for good on March 13.
Mario Lo Giudice, managing director of the new owner of the site, Banco Group, confirmed the closure date was correct but emphasised refurbishment plans, which will include a new supermarket, were under way.
A planning permit had been obtained to refurbish the building, retaining a supermarket and creating five new shops along Burgundy Street.
“We are negotiating with a number of independent supermarket operators,” he told this masthead.
In June last year, when this masthead reported the Burgundy Street store had been sold, its management indicated that the Heidelberg supermarket and its sister store in Kew would close at the end of 2026.
On hearing news of the March 13 closure, customer of 16 years Sandra Andary, of Rosanna, said: “I’m devastated, like everybody else. It’s really unfair. The strip, the community needs this.
“It’s like a hub. A guy just said ‘hi’ to me, he met me during COVID and remembered my name. There’s a beautiful community that come together around Leo’s.”
She said Leo’s sold items that you can’t get elsewhere and she had favourite brands like Green Nation Life multipurpose cleaner, and Earth Taste Life Himalayan Pink Salt.
“I buy the frozen berries, I buy good quality meat from here and nice brands of bread and milk.”
Andary said since the closure was announced last year she had noticed customer numbers were down and she herself had shopped there less, feeling it was harder to stay attached to the place, knowing it was closing.
Lifelong Heidelberg resident and Leo’s fan since it opened in 2001 Gerald Sheahan said he was disappointed about the closure and having to shop at Coles now.
Another regular Steve Caddy, from Heidelberg, said, “I’m very sad about it closing.”
Caddy said while he gets staple groceries at Woolworths he gets “all the good stuff” at Leo’s such as Sergio Valentino durum wheat semolina pasta, Irrewarra sourdough bread, and Ivan’s chunky Angus beef pies.
“The herbs like dill, thyme and tarragon are always fresher here, and they’re in bigger batches, than in other places.”
In addition, he said Leo’s had been a community hub. “There are always interesting people shopping here, there’s a more interesting vibe because there are unique foods, and everything’s a bit fresher.”
He said there were always old Italian songs playing on the sound system.
“It’s something that makes Heidelberg unique,” Caddy said.
It’s not known whether Kew Leo’s will close at the end of 2026 as originally planned.
In June last year, developer Orchard Piper announced that the Leo’s block in Princess Street, Kew, which it had bought, would be turned into luxury housing in a joint venture backed by billionaire James Packer.
The new Kew building will also include shops and a fine-produce offering.
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