Westfield Bondi Junction: Business owners plea to shoppers after the deadly rampage that changed the Sydney shopping centre forever

Westfield Bondi Junction business owners have spoken out to make a plea to the community as they struggle to keep their doors open following the stabbing that rocked Sydney.

The once-busy mall remains a ghost town after the April 13 attacks, despite saying it has “never been safer” with increased security.

Five women and a Westfield security guard were killed in the attack carried out by troubled knifeman Joel Cauchi, 40, who was then shot dead by hero police officer Amy Scott.

Bill Mohana, owner of Hair Royale, Vinny Jovanovski of GloBar, and Michael Dunkley and Nan Kamhom, who run Luxe Bar Café, said businesses are struggling for nearly two weeks after the attack.

They say if Bondi is to recover, locals should not fear returning to their normal lives.

Business owners fear they will struggle to keep their doors open unless shoppers return to Westfield Bondi Junction. Pictured is the abandoned center when it reopened last week

Mr Dunkley, who herded customers and his wife to a safe room before helping chase the knifeman, said he understood people were shocked but tenants were dealt a second blow.

‘It’s literally empty. “It should be pumping, it’s school holidays, there are movies on, kids should be running everywhere, it should be alive,” he said. The Sydney Morning Herald.

Apart from the small crowds, especially at the supermarkets, Bondi Junction remains eerily empty two weeks after the attack, while the normally busy food court is deserted.

Mr Dunkley said his Luxury Bar Café business has lost about $20,000 in wasted inventory and is losing money on rent and bills every day that shoppers stay away.

Hair Royale hairdresser Mohana said rent, about $5,000 a week, is a major concern and he doesn’t know how much longer he can stay open.

‘No one comes in. Before we were busy, we worked all day… now there are no women at all,” he told the publication.

“We want mothers and families to understand that it is safe to return to Bondi now. Please come back, because honestly, we can’t hold on much longer.”

Nan Kemhom and Michael Dunkley of the Luxe Bar Café in Westfield Bondi Junction fear they can’t stay in business as people avoid the area after the stabbing attack

Bill Mohana, owner of Hair Royale, and Vinny Jovanovski of GloBar, said high rents downtown were crippling as customers stayed away

Security guards in Westfield now have stab-proof vests and police patrolling the center has been stepped up.

In addition to the public’s support, store owners also called for additional help from Westfield and the NSW Government.

The shopping center reopened for business six days after the stabbing.

A spokesperson for Westfield’s owners, Scentre Group, said almost all businesses in the shopping center had reopened.

But some, like Chanel, outside of which one of the attacks took place, remain closed.

“As announced last week, we are providing both financial and non-financial support to all of Westfield Bondi’s business partners during this very difficult period,” a Scentre spokesperson said.

“This also applies to our decision to provide rent-free accommodation between April 13 and 19.”

Healthy eatery GloBar should be busy during the school holidays, but is now empty

Five women and a Westfield security guard were stabbed to death at Westfield Bondi Junction. More than a dozen others were injured.

NSW Small Business Minister Steve Kamper said the government has offered free mental health services and training to affected businesses.

He added that the government has also encouraged locals to “support local small businesses affected by this tragedy.”

New mother Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, mother of two Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Chinese national Yixuan Cheng, 27 and security guard Faraz Tahir, 30.

Twelve others were also injured, including Ms Good’s nine-month-old daughter Harriet, who has since been released from hospital.