Heritage-listed Ballarat cafe offers two for one opportunity

A stand-out slice of regional Victorian history combines a freehold and commercial business opportunity.

The 1890s-built Turret cafe in Ballarat is unique to the gold rush town. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

The 1890s-built Turret cafe in Ballarat is architecturally unique to the gold rush town and is easily recognisable for its corner turret topped by a steep conical roof.

The red brick two-storey building also offers buyers the chance to enjoy two commercial possibilities, with passive and active income returns, for the price of one.

The two options comprise the downstairs cafe at 802 Sturt St with its practical inclusions of a commercial kitchen, cool room and store rooms plus original Scottish fireplaces and a grand decorative archway.

The deluxe upstairs residence includes fireplaces, decorative archways and chandeliers. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

Around the corner at 1 Errard St is separate access to a deluxe, fully self-contained four-bedroom apartment with further historic details including fireplaces, decorative archways and chandeliers.

The unit is currently listed on the short-term rental market.

PRD Ballarat sales agent Michael Edgar said he’d received inquiries from buyers and investors in Melbourne, regional Victoria and interstate.

“The cafe has been a dominant business for a long period of time and it’s very successful,” he explained.

“But with so many different aspects and characteristics, it’s probably a select type of buyer who will look at this property.”

The downstairs cafe features commercial and historical features with original Scottish fireplaces and a grand decorative archway. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

Owner Carmel West said she and her husband first leased the building in 2000 before it came up for purchase in 2012.

Mrs West explained the building needed very few changes except some new wallpaper and paintwork.

“The foundations were already there so we just changed the paintwork and some other things to make it classier,” she said.

Ballarat business potential

Turret cafe’s location close to Ballarat’s central business hub and two hospitals is a great bonus, according to Mr Edgar.

The town is also just an hour from Melbourne and has benefited from residential buyers shifting to regional centres, due to the pandemic shift to working from home.

There is a large commercial kitchen, cool rooms, storage rooms and a freezer. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

“Being just a block from the town’s two major hospitals means the cafe is an outstanding place for people to wait or have coffees and meetings,” Mr Edgar said.

“We have strong connections with the medical sector as well with many specialists coming here for two or three days a week from Melbourne.”

This medical connection has resulted in plenty of permanent long-term accommodation bookings, Mrs West explained, with a locum doctor currently staying at the residence several nights a week and alternative weekends.

“We get a lot of inquiries about permanent bookings from doctors plus the law courts for three to four months at a time,” she said.

Ballarat Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Jodie Gillett, described Ballarat as a sensational place to both work as well as live and visit, while its business community loved welcoming new industries to the town.

“Both new and old enterprises are celebrated here and we now have more than 650 members from across all business sectors in our chamber of commerce,” Ms Gillett said.

Medical connection develops into commercial outlets

The cafe’s medical connections form a large part of its history with the 1894-1895 built building originally constructed for a medical specialist.

Several more doctors owned the property before it developed into a commercial base at the end of World War II, according to Mrs West.

“It was even a KFC store for awhile and the legacy of this stage was the addition of the commercial kitchen,” she said.

The fully self-contained four-bedroom residence comes with plenty of history. Picture: realcommercial.com.au/for-sale

First recognised as a heritage-listed property in 1982, the building is described by Victorian Heritage Database (VHD) as a “Gothic-style French chateau” with a “mixture of Tudor, Jacobean and Greek elements”.

“The building is significant for its distinct combination of architectural elements and architecturally, it’s unique to Ballarat,” the report states.

“Its importance lies in the unusual combination of elements … and the turret is of special importance as it lends an air of refinement to the street corner.”

Mrs West said there had been no issues working with the heritage council when she and her husband updated the property.

“The heritage people are amazing and it’s been a lovely marriage, with these people working really well with us and supporting us,” she said.

This comes as no surprise to Australian Heritage Specialists’ managing director, Benjamin Gall, who said there were misconceptions about heritage restrictions.

“Councils and other relevant bodies are generally supportive of applications that conform to heritage requirements,” Mr Gall said.

“But the first step is to understand the rules relating to your property, as there are different levels of listings and heritage protections.”

Turret cafe is expected to sell for $2.8 million-$3.08 million and is for sale via expressions of interest, which close at 4pm on Monday, December 20.