Latest news with #JBHi-Fi
Sydney Morning Herald
30-06-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
No one knew where my suburb was. Then one store changed everything
There is some dispute about the name of my suburb and its five siblings. Some say a cattle farmer who arrived in the area in the 1830s took the name from a property in Forfarshire, Scotland. Some say it derives from a Gaelic word for 'plenty'. Others point to evidence that it comes from an Aboriginal word for 'brackish water'. But you might say that my suburb finally found its way onto the map due to a hi-fi store. My family's journey here began as part of the wave of English and Irish migrants who settled in Melbourne's inner west after World War II. When their children – Boomers like me – came of age, many looked further west. Instead, we looked north, to Keilor East. Whatever the exact origins of the name, there are now six Keilor suburbs – Keilor, Keilor East, Keilor Downs, Keilor Park, Keilor Lodge and Keilor North. (Some say Kee-la, but it's Kee-law, Queen's English). Keilor and its village centre was, and still is, the bee's knees because of its location and hills. Wedged between the Maribyrnong Valley and the market gardens along the Maribyrnong River, it reeked of history with its old bridge and heritage buildings. Horseshoe Bend holds magnificent views over Brimbank Park, Keilor and beyond. We moved to Keilor East in 1972 before the birth of our first child; it was a promising area for young families, even if its undulating plains made it the poor relation to the village-like Keilor. The new residents of the area worked hard at factories across the industrial west and were proud of their backyard crops. The Yarraville and Williamstown that our family had left behind were mainly Anglo and the food bland – all meat and three veg – so it was a delight to be introduced to the flavours of Italian and Greek families who were only too keen to share their food and culture. I'd known no such thing as broccoli, and spaghetti came from a can of Heinz. Keilor East meant exposure to the homemade passata that was like a religion in March and April, following the tomato season. Tomatoes were plentiful as most of the houses were modest and built on quarter-acre blocks with lots of space for planting, unlike the castles on subdivided blocks that you find today. Hidden away between the Maribyrnong River, Steele Creek, and two freeways, Victorians at this time knew nothing about Keilor East. But that changed in 1974, when local man John Barbuto transplanted a hustle selling speakers and records from his garage to the nearby Centreway strip. That music store, with a name taken from Barbuto's initials, and handwritten price tags inspired by Barbuto's time working in local green grocers, was the original JB Hi-Fi. Perhaps Melburnians still didn't know anything else about Keilor East, but they knew how to get to the wildly popular electronics shop. From the recently extended Calder freeway, turn right, left, then right, and you'd arrive at Centreway, our shopping strip surrounding a small park. You couldn't miss JB and its yellow signs, which soon spread out across three shops. After growing into the massive chain it is today, the original Keilor East store closed in 2011, and is now a restaurant, a laundromat and a takeaway, with a massage studio next door.
The Age
30-06-2025
- General
- The Age
No one knew where my suburb was. Then one store changed everything
There is some dispute about the name of my suburb and its five siblings. Some say a cattle farmer who arrived in the area in the 1830s took the name from a property in Forfarshire, Scotland. Some say it derives from a Gaelic word for 'plenty'. Others point to evidence that it comes from an Aboriginal word for 'brackish water'. But you might say that my suburb finally found its way onto the map due to a hi-fi store. My family's journey here began as part of the wave of English and Irish migrants who settled in Melbourne's inner west after World War II. When their children – Boomers like me – came of age, many looked further west. Instead, we looked north, to Keilor East. Whatever the exact origins of the name, there are now six Keilor suburbs – Keilor, Keilor East, Keilor Downs, Keilor Park, Keilor Lodge and Keilor North. (Some say Kee-la, but it's Kee-law, Queen's English). Keilor and its village centre was, and still is, the bee's knees because of its location and hills. Wedged between the Maribyrnong Valley and the market gardens along the Maribyrnong River, it reeked of history with its old bridge and heritage buildings. Horseshoe Bend holds magnificent views over Brimbank Park, Keilor and beyond. We moved to Keilor East in 1972 before the birth of our first child; it was a promising area for young families, even if its undulating plains made it the poor relation to the village-like Keilor. The new residents of the area worked hard at factories across the industrial west and were proud of their backyard crops. The Yarraville and Williamstown that our family had left behind were mainly Anglo and the food bland – all meat and three veg – so it was a delight to be introduced to the flavours of Italian and Greek families who were only too keen to share their food and culture. I'd known no such thing as broccoli, and spaghetti came from a can of Heinz. Keilor East meant exposure to the homemade passata that was like a religion in March and April, following the tomato season. Tomatoes were plentiful as most of the houses were modest and built on quarter-acre blocks with lots of space for planting, unlike the castles on subdivided blocks that you find today. Hidden away between the Maribyrnong River, Steele Creek, and two freeways, Victorians at this time knew nothing about Keilor East. But that changed in 1974, when local man John Barbuto transplanted a hustle selling speakers and records from his garage to the nearby Centreway strip. That music store, with a name taken from Barbuto's initials, and handwritten price tags inspired by Barbuto's time working in local green grocers, was the original JB Hi-Fi. Perhaps Melburnians still didn't know anything else about Keilor East, but they knew how to get to the wildly popular electronics shop. From the recently extended Calder freeway, turn right, left, then right, and you'd arrive at Centreway, our shopping strip surrounding a small park. You couldn't miss JB and its yellow signs, which soon spread out across three shops. After growing into the massive chain it is today, the original Keilor East store closed in 2011, and is now a restaurant, a laundromat and a takeaway, with a massage studio next door.
West Australian
23-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
JB Hi-Fi pays $13.5m to settle The Good Guys promotions lawsuit
Retail giant JB Hi-Fi has agreed to pay a $13.5 million fine to settle allegations that certain store promotions at The Good Guys were misleading and deceptive. The company, which owns the discount white goods and electronics warehouses, has also agreed to a remediation program for some customers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission started legal action against JB Hi-Fi in Federal Court in July last year over certain store credit and StoreCash promotions, alleging they violated consumer law. The Good Guys promised to provide customers with store credit for buying goods — such as $50 in StoreCash for a $500 purchase — but the retailer didn't disclose they also had to opt-in to receive marketing communications, the ACCC said at the time. The retailer also didn't adequately mention the credits expired quickly, mostly within seven and 10 days, the ACCC said. 'We are concerned that as a result of the alleged conduct, consumers may have purchased products from The Good Guys which they might not have done otherwise,' ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said when it launched court proceedings. 'Businesses should be on notice that promotional conditions must be prominently disclosed to consumers, rather than buried in hard-to-find locations, or they risk enforcement action under the Australian consumer law.' The ACCC said 116 promotion ran from July 2019 to August 2023. 'The Good Guys takes its compliance with the law very seriously and has worked co-operatively with the ACCC to resolve the matter,' JB Hi-Fi said in a statement on Monday. 'The Good Guys has always sought to provide value and benefits to its customers and has always prided itself on its high levels of trust with consumers.' JB Hi-Fi has also agreed to contribute $200,000 to the ACCC's court costs. The ACCC said the agreement was subject to Federal Court approval and full details of the outcome would be made public when the court announced its judgment.
AU Financial Review
17-06-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Brokers and investors collide on these four ASX stocks
As the Australian sharemarket hit a record high this month after the tariff-induced market rout, stocks from Commonwealth Bank to JB Hi-Fi have also forged new peaks, defying brokers that are telling clients to sell the shares. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 has rebound around 16 per cent from its April low as investors have grown more optimistic that the worst of the tariff-related disruptions are behind us. And despite escalating tensions in the Middle East, fund managers expect stocks to keep climbing.
7NEWS
17-06-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Shoppers rush to snap up Roborock's EOFY deals with savings of up to $800 on smart home tech
There's never been a better moment to level up your home with a little help from smart tech. Roborock, the global leader in robotic vacuums, has dropped its biggest end-of-financial-year deals to date, and shoppers are already racing to add to their carts. With savings of up to $800 across their top-rated models, including the Saros 10, Qrevo series and F25, the brand is delivering not just spotless floors, but extra hours in your day. Available now through to Wednesday 2 July via Roborock's website and selected major retailers including JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman and Amazon Australia. These deals are not ones to sleep on (unless you enjoy dust bunnies). Whether you're dealing with daily crumbs, pet hair that never ends, or just tired of lugging a vacuum around the house, Roborock's latest lineup covers it all and then some. 1. Roborock Saros 10, was $2,999, now $2,599 (save $400) Where sleek design meets serious cleaning power. The Saros 10 brings together intelligent navigation, powerful suction and a surprisingly compact self-cleaning dock. It's like having a professional cleaner on call, minus the hourly rate. Ideal for anyone after luxury-level convenience with minimal effort. 2. Roborock Qrevo C was $1,699, now $1,099 (save $600) If you're short on space but big on cleanliness, the Qrevo C is the robot for you. Despite its compact size, it delivers a powerful 18,500 Pa of suction, with smart navigation and a dual anti-tangle system. It's especially perfect for apartments or small homes where every square metre counts. 3. Roborock Qrevo Curv was $2,799, now $2,299 (save $500) Whether you have hardwood, tiles or carpet, the Qrevo Curv knows how to glide seamlessly across every surface. With a zero-tangling system, powerful 18,500 Pa HyperForce® suction and a multi-functional dock, it's built for deep, hygienic cleaning, a godsend for pet owners. 4. Roborock Qrevo Edge C was $2,199, now $1,599 (save $600) Clean every edge and corner without lifting a finger. The Qrevo Edge C features FlexiArm Technology and a dual anti-tangle system to get into those hard-to-reach places, making it ideal for perfectionists and anyone who wants that spotless, just-mopped look with zero fuss. 5. Roborock F25 was $699, now $499 (save $200) Your everyday clean-up just got easier. The Roborock F25 is a wet-dry vacuum that can handle everything from cereal spills to muddy paw prints in one go. With 20,000 Pa suction power, smart sensors and a slick, low-profile build, it's a must-have for families and busy homes.
