Because of its position as the junction of the railway from Melbourne to Lilydale and Ferntree Gully and of the roads to Warrandyte and to Dandenong, it was inevitable that Ringwood would develop as a centre of commerce.
Shops took shape in Main Street Ringwood from the late 1800s. The advent of the railway, and the construction of the station, concentrated development generally between Warrandyte Road and Ringwood Street.
The “ribbon development” of Ringwood moved Westward in the 1950s with development of the Olympic Shopping Centre on the site of the old McClellands Ringwood Market and the Drive-In Shopping Centre (now Murray Place).
It came back firmly and finally with the opening of Eastland Shopping Centre on the former Ringwood Football Ground, although the late development of Ringwood Square, on the site of the old Ringwood Timber and Trading Company on the corner of Maroondah Highway and New Street, still streched the centre out.
As well as being one of the dominant retailing centres of Melbourne, Ringwood has also had a prominent presence in the automotive trade and in service businesses.
