The Inspiration Behind The Market Pavilion

Melbourne foodies were in for a treat with the opening of Chadstone's world-class food and lifestyle destination, The Market Pavilion.

Designed to be the beating heart of the city’s epicurean spirit, opening weekend did not disappoint with foot traffic up to almost boxing day levels, more than 8,000 cannoli filled and sold and retailers extending their trading hours so customers could keep enjoying their products.

Standing in the heart of the new fresh food precinct surrounded by eager shoppers, was a proud moment for those who’ve worked on this for years, none more so than for Paul Pellegrino and Simon Hill from Vicinity's Leasing team.

We caught up with the duo to hear more about the inspiration behind the precinct, its unique qualities and how their deep understanding of customers helped them work alongside first-time in shopping-centre retailers, to create something truly special.

Firstly, congratulations on The Market Pavilion! What was the inspiration behind it?

SH: We set out to capture best of Melbourne's culinary scene, drawing inspiration from renowned markets and food precincts across the world. Everything from Harrod’s in London and Mercato Centrale in Barcelona, through to South Melbourne Market.

Markets have a distinct energy and buzz—fresh food displays, sampling experiences, a bit of theatre. But they can also feel cluttered and chaotic. On the other hand, stepping into Harrod’s is refined and elegant. The challenge was merging these experiences—creating a space that felt sophisticated yet inviting to everyday shoppers. Walking through, you’ll notice stunning high-end fit-outs, soaring ceilings, and the unmistakable craftsmanship of a true market—but without the mess or chaos.

Can you share more on the offer of The Market Pavilion?

SH: As well as the everyday essentials you’d expect, we set out to find the best premium food retailers, a lot of that you’d typically found on the high street, rather than a shopping centre. Customers can grab their fresh produce, indulge in a cannoli and coffee, or enjoy a sandwich from Vic’s Meats, all while stocking up on grocery staples.

High street brands can be a little turned off by the everyday essentials, and unsure of venturing into a shopping centre and doing business with a big ASX-listed landlord, so we had our work cut out for us!

It’s an impressive line up of retailers – how did you get them on board?

PP: We had the vision well entrenched from the get-go and were so passionate about what we were creating, so it was really about selling retailers the dream. We knew it would be great, we just needed them to get on board and be just as excited about the opportunity.

SH: Many of these retailers were small operators deeply focused on their craft, not necessarily experienced in dealing with legal agreements, design approvals, and shopping centre operations. It was daunting for them—and for us too! Before this 99% of our tenants were national brands, so we had to adapt our approach to support these more niche retailers.

How important is building genuine relationships with retailers?

SH: It’s everything in leasing. Getting to know customers on a human level means when challenges arise, it’s so much easier to have a tough conversation. If you’re not authentic and they don’t trust you, it’s just not going to work.

PP: I echo that, it all starts with building rapport and trust. You’re their advocate, there to support them throughout the journey. It’s very different to opening a store on a high street. Building strong relationships resulted in us landing brands like Brunetti and That’s Amore – both firsts in a shopping centre. Understanding what they’ve got to win or lose really helps us form genuine relationships.

What are you most proud of looking around The Market Pavilion today?

SH: I love seeing the way customers have embraced it, hearing people talking about it as they walk through saying how good it is, is so rewarding.  There are thousands of people who have been working so hard on delivering this - accountants, lawyers, designers, architects, retailers, shop fitters, tradies, administration people, all working together to deliver this, and that’s really special.

Dare I ask… your favourite retailer in the precinct?

SH: I have so many favourites for different reasons. In terms of fit outs, I can’t go past Caffé Ducale – it’s so different to what you’d expect from an espresso bar in Melbourne, nevermind in a shopping centre. When they pitched the design it was exactly what we were looking for – something different, super high end, and how good is that European influence - that’s where you’ll find me for my daily caffeine hit!

Another favourite is Mork – it sums up what The Market Pavilion is all about – a bean to bar artisan chocolate store – premium product and a stalwart of the Melbourne culinary scene.

PP: The Champagne and Oyster bar is a completely new concept we worked on with Suzie Wong. Suzie’s really adaptable we knew she’d execute this well, and it really brings the precinct together. And Casa Nata, Home of the Portuguese Tart – he’s got a young family is a master at his craft and the passion and commitment to this was just remarkable.

So what’s next at Chadstone? 

SH: Chadstone is ever evolving – so we’ve always got something in the works. Next up we’ll be looking at the run between Ralph Lauren and The Market Pavilion, to find the perfect retailers to lead between Melbourne’s best food options and the international fashion precinct. Chadstone is an ongoing project, we’re constantly refining our retail precincts to evolve with our customers – it’s why leasing at Vicinity is so exciting!