QIC’s Eastland Shopping Centre introduces an immersive ‘Mini Mart’ shopping experience to educate and entertain the kids during these school holidays.
Stepping back in time, this nostalgic-themed grocery store gives local families a unique opportunity to explore the aisles and complete challenges along the way while searching for the needed ingredients to bake a cake.
Taking place at Eastland from the 24 June to 2 July on level one, near Myer, families can start their shopping trip by visiting the fridges for a cool photo moment inside a row of 3D fridges.
Taking a snap to secure the first sticker, the challenges continue with an ‘icing themed’ bowling alley, a ‘corn hole’ flour bag throw, and an ‘egg inspired’ mini golf course.
The first 100 little shoppers who visit the ‘Mini Mart’ daily will receive a $10 fresh food gift card to spend within Eastland
Finally, all mini participants who complete the challenges and receive a full set of stickers will be able to fill up fruit scales (hitting the target weight) to receive the winning cake recipe to take home and create.
The first 100 little shoppers who visit the ‘Mini Mart’ daily will receive a $10 fresh food gift card to spend within Eastland. After the initial 100 customers, the subsequent visitors will receive a free mini cupcake voucher to redeem at Goldelucks located on level two.
The Mini Mart is a free-of-charge event; however, a donation to fundraising partner the ‘Alannah and Madeline Foundation’ is encouraged and welcomed.
Greg Balmforth, General Manager of Eastland, said: “It’s great to see families visit our centre during the school holidays, engaging in the free activities and supporting our community partner – the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. The ‘Mini Mart’ initiative is a first for Eastland, and we hope kids enjoy the unique grocery shopping experience as they complete each of the cake-inspired challenges all while in a nostalgic set of a retro-themed supermarket.”
Since its establishment, the Alannah & Madeline Foundation has helped thousands of children and families across Australia and has become a respected and influential voice on issues related to child safety.
Challenges include an ‘icing themed’ bowling alley, a ‘corn hole’ flour bag throw, and an ‘egg inspired’ mini golf course
To support the local community during the event, Eastland has also teamed up with Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place to drive donations and awareness of “Mullum Pantry”, which provides food relief to the community and acts as a form of community engagement and educational platform. This unique program is based on an energy exchange model and distributes fresh produce amongst other essentials that would otherwise end up in landfill.
At the conclusion of the activation, children who have participated will be able to decide which pantry item they would like Eastland to donate on their behalf to Mullum Pantry by placing a sticker next to that item on the Mullum Pantry Wall.
Vanessa Scales, Pantry Manager at Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gather Place, says, “We are beyond grateful for this opportunity to partner with Eastland that will drive much-needed donations to our pantry. The need for Emergency relief is growing, and to know that we will be able to support more local indigenous families means so much to our community.”
