Logan will look substantially different in two years time.
They’re the words of Shafia Malak, a local business owner hoping to change the face of the city.
And she’s not alone, with hospitality businesses across Logan looking to kickstart the city’s nightime economy.
Ms Malak, who six months ago opened a food truck called Smashhh Burgers with her husband in Underwood, said the community was desperate for a nightlife scene.
“Coming from Sydney where the population is a lot bigger, you can see that Logan itself is venturing out and wanting to do things,” she said.
“We have noticed so many new places coming up in and around the area.”
She said there was “clearly a demand” for more.
“Smashhh has been around for less that six months, and the response and support from the community has been phenomenal,” Ms Malak said.
“The passion for the food and love from the community… we are just overwhelmed.”
The location of their truck, along Logan Road, is slowly growing, with more businesses following the hype.
“On a Friday and Sunday night, we’re buzzing – it is amazing,” Ms Malak said.
“The whole idea was to provide wonderful, good quality food at a reasonable price.
“The cost of living has really risen, so to give everybody an opportunity to eat out and enjoy time with their family and friends – that’s the drive for us.”
Recently, Smashhh Burgers received free outdoor furniture and parklets thanks to a new outdoor dining trial run by Logan City Council.
The trial was inspired by Europe-style dining where “they throw down three pallets, put some board across the top, and all of a sudden there is seating for nine people outside a cafe”, according to one councillor.
Ms Malak said it was a game-changer, particularly for nightlife.
“One of the things we’re struggling with was, being a fairly new business, we couldn’t afford to just go crazy with the outdoor furniture ourselves,” she said.
“Over the last couple of weeks, it has rained and the parklet has helped provide a space for customers to sit down undercover and be dry, while still being out.
“The great thing is that it has kept the outdoor vibe cohesive – it completes the space.”
Beenleigh restaurant Rod’s Pizza n More is also participating in the trial.
Owner Rod Tanti agreed there was room for Logan’s nightlife to grow.
“I am 60, and I grew up in Loganlea,” he said.
“We used to come to Beenleigh when I was young, and Beenleigh was a very busy town.
“Every year we would come down here to the Beenleigh Show. We used to go there instead of the Ekka because it was heaps cheaper and better.”
He said traffic was growing and a lot of people were using the outdoor furniture.
“There are more people coming in the night-time now in the last two months,” he said.
“There are also less people sleeping on the footpath – we used to have people sleeping right out the front of our shop.”
The parklets will remain at the two venues until March next year, before moving to other locations.
Council is working with the businesses to tailor a series of activation events as well.
The outdoor furniture and parklet trial will run until June 2025 and more businesses in the city can apply to have the parklets until the trial ends.
The program is funded by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training’s locally led economic recovery program.
