A new Grace Bros regional store at Parramatta October 1939. By Sam Hood. From the Mitchell Library collection of the State Library of New South Wales [hood_09953 / Home and Away 9953]

You might have heard that Roselands shopping centre turned 50 years old earlier in the week. It was a game changer in suburban shopping in the 1960s: a fully undercover shopping centre built for Grace Bros with 80 specialty shops, 10 acres (4 hectares) of shopping space and room for 3,000 parking spots. Although not the first department store to establish suburban outlets, Grace Bros was the first to strategically plan and develop an extensive network of branches in suburban Sydney. Roselands was part of their aspirations in the 1960s and 1970s to have a store within 10 minutes drive of every housewife in Sydney. Grace Bros traced its origins back to the draper store set up by Joseph and Edward Grace on George Street West, not far from the 2ser studios, back in 1885. Within six years they had bought  out a neighbouring draper and had expanded into clothing, boots, carpets and crockery. Sydney's newest department store was on their way up. Grace Bros is best remembered for its large iconic store at Broadway. Built in 1904, it was seen by tram travellers coming from the south and west. The glass and steel globe at the top of the building bearing the company became a symbol of the company, visible from many parts of Sydney and used for decades in advertisements, promotions and company stationery. The success of the department store was driven by the ambition of the family. The company's original motto from the 1880s reflects their will and drive: 'We will deserve success'. Later store mottoes became more customer focussed: 'The store that keeps faith with the public' (c.1900) and in 1916 'Sure to get it at Grace Bros'. The company began expanding into suburban areas as early as the 1930s, with a store at Parramatta in 1933, following by Bondi Junction in 1934. But it was when the family firm became a public company in 1960 that they had the capital to invest in suburban expansion and shopping innovations like Roselands. First came Chatswood (1961), Warringah Mall (1963), Top Ryde(1964), Roselands (1965), Miranda Fair (1971), Liverpool (1972), Mt Druitt (1973), Hornsby (1979), Burwood (1981), Macquarie Centre (1981) and Maroubra (1981). Of course Grace Bros is no more. A double take over saw the department stores subsumed within Melbourne's Myer. The name lived on until 2004. But we can still remember the innovations of Grace Bros through their Broadway store, and Roselands shopping centre. You can read more about Grace Bros in  Michael Lech's article in the Dictionary. And check out the Photo gallery of Roselands when it opened in 1961. If you missed Lisa's segment on 2SER this morning, you can catch up on the podcast here.