Brisbane Cash and Carry (BCC) - the birth of the Australian Supermarket

In 1923, Claude drew on the success of his Petrie Bight store and opened his second store in Queen Street, Brisbane. This store is considered to be  Australia’s first self-service grocery store. 

The concept, which may seem simple today, was completely new to Queensland consumers at the time. Shoppers were presented with rows of clean, open shelves stocked with goods, allowing them to pick items themselves, place them in their baskets, and then unload them at the counter where the shop assistant would tally the total in her head, with payment made in cash. Price tags were displayed above each item, enabling shoppers to easily compare prices and spot specials. Dry goods, previously sold in bulk or dispensed by staff, were now pre-packaged in clear cellophane, letting consumers see the products and choose larger or smaller quantities. The experience was faster, more affordable, and became immensely popular and widely praised. By 1925, the Ann Street store could no longer handle the growing customer base, prompting the move to larger premises on Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, followed by the opening of a store on George Street in 1926.

As the business expanded into additional stores—17 by 1939—Claude Fraser introduced a range of groundbreaking American innovations to Australia for the first time, including, but not limited to:

• The BCC system of having one checker complete the entire transaction with a customer.
• Introduced shopping trolleys, then called trolley gliders to Australia
• First self-service refrigerated cabinets and first self-service deli counter
• Multiple checkouts, fluorescent lighting, public address systems and glass store frontages

It is hard to imagine now that trolleys, even multiple cash registers were something to marvel at, but they were an entirely new concept to Australia. Claude's sharp business acumen and impeccable decision-making ensured that it would take nearly 25 years before a true self-service competitor could emerge. The innovations BCC introduced in grocery shopping were well ahead of any other company at the time. 

Without the images and video footage of the crowds at the BCC store openings (thanks to the Claude Fraser Archive) it is hard to conceive the extraordinary public response the BCC supermarkets sparked from the public. Crowds the size we only tend to now see for Boxing Day sales would take over suburban footpaths, weaving back blocks from the store’s doors as consumers eagerly waited for their opportunity to find a bargain.

Newspaper articles reported on each opening with great enthusiasm and glowing reviews, capturing the ‘glittering array of attractive shelves’, the improbability of finding ‘nothing more modern of its kind’ and the impact of being ‘dazzled by brilliant, shining fittings’ accompanied the news of store openings across the state.

Through both the Great Depression and the Second World War, BCC continued to flourish, and stores opened across the state. Regional Queensland did not miss out on the BCC phenomenon with stores opening in Bundaberg, Gympie, Rockhampton, Southport, Toowoomba and Warwick to name a few. Each store opened with fanfare and large crowds that required police assistance to manage. On the back of a lorry, 12 trumpet players would play martial tunes, with a large banner beckoning the neighbourhood to follow the band to the new BCC store for savings on tobacco, tea and toffee. Show bags were handed out to the first hundred or so customers, and children received newspaper pokes – a handful of sweets wrapped in newspaper sheets in cone shapes - or were offered an Arnott’s biscuit from large tins at the checkouts. 

Don Fraser, Claude’s eldest son, recalled that at one point in the early days of BCC’s success in the 1920s the State Government tried to threatened Claude with dire consequences if he did not raise his prices. Claude resisted and promised to “tell all the people that I am just a returned soldier trying to make a living and give them [the customers] lower prices”.

BCC’s commitment to low prices and customer loyalty helped solidify its strong relationship with shoppers. During the hardships of World War II and the Great Depression, these affordable prices were a lifeline for many Queenslanders. The Claude Fraser Archive holds stories from customers whose families "might not have had anything to eat in the tough days of the 1930s Depression" if not for BCC. The store’s honest and fair trading, especially when goods were scarce, earned the trust and loyalty of the public.

For a brief period during the Second World War, Claude relied on his loyal staff to keep 12 stores heading in the right direction while he paused his work to re-enlist and serve with the Queensland Cameron Highlanders.

During this period, Queensland newspapers were filled with special advertisements beckoning housewives ‘who desire to lessen the cost of their household expenditure are invited to inspect the provision lines offering at the Brisbane Cash and City and suburban stores’. They were promised ‘first quality’ bacon rashers at big reductions, and ‘loose imported tobacco at equally worthwhile savings'. One week consumers could help themselves to specials on CSR, Golden Syrup, Clingstone Peaches, Norwegian sardines and Palmolive soap. Receipts, stock take books and price lists in the Claude Fraser Archive provide insight into the most purchased products of the era -  butter, rice, jam, oats and sugar.

Brisbane Cash and Carry, along with Allan & Stark, was one of the anchor stores in Australia's first shopping mall - The Chermside Drive-In Shopping Centre which opened in 1957. A newspaper clipping in the Claude Fraser Collection praises the new store, claiming “There has never been a store anywhere in Australia to equal this wonderful new Chermside drive-in BCC”. The opening of the Chermside Drive-In shopping centre was considered an occasion worthy of then Premier Vince Gair personally attending the official opening. Amongst the many world class features, the BCC super store boasted four checkout aisles and included a car boot pick up section.

By the late 1950s BCC was no longer the only self-service supermarket in the Queensland and wider Australian scene. Woolworths, who had opened their first store in Sydney on December 5, 1924 were experiencing rapid success, popularity and expansion across the country.  

In 1958, Claude Fraser made the tough decision to sell his 32 stores to Woolworths. At that point, the BBC stores accounted for 17% of Queensland's grocery trade, with locations stretching as far north as Mackay and an annual turnover of $20 million. Don Fraser recalled that Claude’s decision to agree to the sale, was the “most courageous of his life”, and was made under pressure from his father's medical professionals. Of the many factors to consider in the Woolworths merger, the fate of his beloved staff was one of Claude’s top concerns. Don Fraser reflected that his father was undoubtedly an innovator, but he was also a very compassionate man who was close to his staff and concerned for their future. As news broke of the merger, supermarket brands like Sanitarian Health Food Company, Zippy Liquid Starch and the BON AMI Co. Of Australia (a polishing cleaner) posted congratulatory messages in newspapers. 

When Claude Fraser passed away at the age of 88 in June 1988, he was fondly remembered as the pioneer of the modern supermarket. It is truly remarkable to reflect on what he achieved and how his innovations and ideas changed the way Australians shop forever.

Many of the BCC structures still stand across the state, often found on suburban high streets. While the days of the girls in blue and newspaper pokes are behind us, the story still lives on. Luckily for us, Claude was a meticulous documenter of his business and within his archive - ACC33453 Claude Fraser Archive - there are 9 photograph albums containing well-ordered, professional images showcasing most of the Brisbane Cash and Carry stores around their time of opening. They are possibly the best photographic collections in Australia of mid-century grocery stores and shopping centres and we are incredibly proud to hold them in State Library’s collection.

To discover more of this incredible Queensland business story, explore our collection guide and images online through our One Search catalogue. A collection highlight for State Library staff is the home movie footage taken of store openings. This crisp, coloured film captures the crowds, store interiors and street landscapes and is well worth a watch – you can view it directly here.