Greg Josephson

Greg Josephson was an Australian businessman best known as the co-founder of Universal Store, the youth fashion retail chain he built with his brother Michael. Born Gregory James Josephson on 20 March 1967, he spent much of his working life in Brisbane, Queensland, where he lived with his wife, Tamra, and their three children in the inner-northern suburb of Clayfield.

Josephson and his brother Michael founded Universal Store in 1999, growing it into one of Australia's recognisable youth fashion chains operating under the Universal Store, Thrills and Perfect Stranger names. The brothers sold the business to private equity investors in 2018, a deal reported to be worth around 100 million Australian dollars, before the company later listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. After stepping back from Universal Store, Josephson built a smaller portfolio of hospitality and real estate ventures, including businesses in Noosa and Eumundi in Queensland's Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Josephson died on 26 June 2025 at his home on Oriel Road in Clayfield, Brisbane, at the age of 58. Police were called to the property shortly after 8pm that evening after receiving reports of a man with critical injuries. Officers arrived to find Josephson dead on the top floor of the house, which was hosting a gathering of around 30 teenagers to mark the end of the school term. A 15 year old boy who was known to Josephson was arrested nearby a short time later and subsequently charged with murder. Queensland Police said the boy himself had called triple zero after the alleged altercation, and that a household item, rather than a knife brought to the scene, was used in the attack. Investigators stressed that no one else at the party was believed to have been involved, although several other teenagers present assisted with the inquiry.

The news of Josephson's death prompted an outpouring of tributes from the Brisbane business community and beyond. Universal Store issued a statement saying that the company was deeply saddened by the loss of the man who had founded it and remained closely involved until 2018, extending condolences to his family. Neighbours in Clayfield described shock at the violence unfolding in what was normally a quiet street. His family subsequently said they would be winding down or selling some of the smaller hospitality and property ventures he had been building in Noosa and Eumundi in the wake of his death.

Josephson was farewelled at a funeral mass at St Agatha's Catholic Church in Clayfield on 14 July 2025, a short walk from the family home. Hundreds of mourners attended, including his widow, Tamra, their three children, his parents Mary and Greg, and his brothers Michael, Andrew, Martin and John. In her eulogy, Tamra Josephson described her husband as "the captain of our team" and spoke of a marriage that had grown closer rather than more distant with time. The case against the teenager charged with his murder has continued through the courts since then, with the matter committed to the Supreme Court of Queensland for trial in June 2026 after a committal hearing in the Brisbane Children's Court.