Chermside Drive-In Shopping Centre (Now Westfield Chermside) was opened on 31 May 1957 by the then Premier of Queensland Vince Gair. Police were needed to keep an estimated 15,000 shoppers who had queued to secure bargains. It was marketed as the first suburban-style, post-war shopping precinct in the southern hemisphere. The shopping centre was air-conditioned and had a modern design. It initially contained an Allan & Stark department store, a Brisbane Cash & Carry supermarket, 24 speciality stores, parking for 650 cars and covered 28 acres. Porters were available to carry purchased items to shoppers’ cars.