IGA Marketplace Wises Road

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Posted 2014-03-28 by Jodie plus two ⇒ follow

Not being one to shy away from a visit to a deli, I was excited to hear of a new offering right in the heart of Maroochydore. Images of gourmet cheeses, hand-kneaded bread sticks and bouquets of bright peonies immediately sprang to mind, and I was excited. So you can imagine my confusion when my travel companion took me to the industrial centre of town and parked the car outside the new IGA.

IGA, really? I was sceptical to say the least. I had previously thought of IGAs as a convenience store, a place to pick up bread and milk on the way home, and the occasional over-priced, under-ripe piece of fruit or vegetable. But after one visit to the IGA Marketplace on Wises Road , Maroochydore, I have been converted.

Upon entering the store, you will soon see why the IGA Marketplace has become the new in-vogue place to shop in Maroochydore, and a great way to while away the hours on a leisurely Saturday morning.

A bright and quirky display of fresh flowers immediately catches your eye, with bouquets starting from as low as $12.95 that would be enough to make a florist leaf-green with envy. I am told the store is regularly stocked by Campbell and Bradley Flowers, which utilise environmentally friendly practices and products as much as possible.

The next stop is the floor to ceiling bakery displays, which offer a generous and well-priced selection of freshly baked breads (mostly made on-premises), from brioche to baguettes and everything in between.

On this particular visit, my friend and I picked out a Pain Au Raisin ($2.49) and an Apricot Spandauer ($3.10), and I picked up a Rosemary and Garlic Bâtard ($2.49) for later (actually, if I am being completely honest, I am currently munching on slices of my Bâtard as I write this article).

Make your way through the aisles and shelves stocked with gourmet delicatessen products (Maleny Wasabi Cheddar anyone?), and you'll find the helpful deli staff ready to make you a fresh coffee. Utilising local products and suppliers where they can, the IGA Marketplace sources their coffee from Costa Noosa Espresso, sourced from Arabica beans around the world and roasted locally at Sunshine Beach. The Marketplace has even fitted custom cup holders to every trolley, so there is no need to balance everything as you browse the aisles.

So now you have your pastry, your fresh coffee, a few cheeses and your bright bouquet of flowers, where to next? Well the unique feature of the IGA Marketplace is that you can sit down and enjoy these in the comfort of the in-store cafe seating provided specifically for this purpose. They even have a few newspapers and magazines casually strewn around so you can unwind and sip your Costa Noosa coffee in peace. My friend and I did exactly this, and at a grand total of $9.49 for our two pastries and two cold drinks, it hardly broke the bank and proved to be a very affordable and enjoyable morning out.

Of course there is also all the boring bits expected at any well-stocked supermarket – the toilet paper, the dog food, the laundry detergent, but you don't need a Weekend Notes article to hear about these. Just know that if it's on your groceries list, then odds are you will be able to find it at the IGA Marketplace.

How to get there?
The IGA Marketplace is located on 32 Wises Road, Maroochydore. For those familiar with the area, the IGA occupies the old 'WOW Sight and Sound' complex. Ample free parking is available onsite.

For those catching public transport, bus routes 602, 614 and 617 will connect you to Wises Road from the nearby Sunshine Plaza. Check the Translink website for specific times.