The history of Toombul Music

This iconic Brisbane retail music business began when Westfield opened Toombul Shoppingtown in 1967. It was founded by the Cleghorn family who previously owned Nundah Music (the shop where the Bee Gees bought one of their first guitars). Toombul Music began as a small record store selling 78's and LP records and over the next 40 years evolved into one of the largest independent music businesses in the country.  

Barry Bull acquired the business in 1981 after a successful 13 year career with CBS Records (now Sony Music). As the business grew it became an important destination for everyone who cherished music, an institution for musicians and even to the music makers themselves. As the customers grew, so did the product range, with CD, DVD, musical instruments and consumer electronics, all combining a one stop shopping experience. However, the business gained national recognition and reputation from the unique presentations of superstar artists and performers. This resulted in multiple national retail awards and induction in 1997 into the Westfield Hall of Fame for retail excellence. In 2001 a new division Electronic Interiors was introduced to develop the emerging home cinema business, commercially driven by the DVD format.  

By mid 2008 however, the winds of change were blowing for the music industry because  the effect that the internet was having with the downloading of music, and the current business model in a high rent shopping centre was coming to an end. The now successful Electronic Interiors home cinema division had become the flagship of the business, so it was decided to close Toombul Music and relocate Electronic Interiors to larger and more efficient destination at nearby Northgate. Toombul Music became an online business.  

In August 2008, Electronic Interiors evolution was complete, with the opening of new state of the art showrooms at Northgate Road, Northgate, Brisbane. Featuring highly selective prestige brands and incorporating home navigation and home theatre concepts   in touch with new emerging technologies, these showrooms are one of the most advanced in the country. A team of experienced, specialised system designers customise each project to individual client requirement. Barry's son Justin now owns the multi-awarding winning Electronic Interiors business which has not only maintained the long standing service traditions of its pedigree, but is also at the forefront of the future of home entertainment.  

Click here to visit the Electonic Interiors Website 

The evolution of Toombull music to Electronic interiors allowed Barry to move on and pursue personal projects that leveraged off his experience and reputation. He is one of an elite group of respected business conference speakers, an author of three business books and has his own record label BBMusic, compiling his favourite songs on a series of albums called ‘Music for Cruizin', targeting the boomers on the road, listening to the music that speaks to their generation. The first of the series is available through Sony Music or online.  

“I knew the songs that the boomers wanted in their CD collection from my retailing days at Toombul, and they wanted all the good ones on the one album. So here they are on these two CD sets.” says Barry.  

Click here to see the Music for Cruizin CDs