Historic Melbourne CBD dining space seeks $2m sale

A fitted-out dining space in a historic block in the city’s theatre district is seeking a $2 million sale.

The 24-38 Little Bourke St property on 238sqm is just one of two retail tenancies in the heritage-listed Gordon Place building.

The majority of the circa-1884 complex is taken up by Quest serviced apartments.

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The space is ideal for hospitality or retail use, comes with full kitchen services and a cool room, and is being offered with vacant possession.

The dining spot inside Gordon Place.

It formerly housed Deli 1884 and is in an area described as a “restaurant hot spot” and is a “beautiful heritage space”, according to CBRE agent Alex Brierley.

“It is rare to see a retail space of over 200sqm offered to the market with full kitchen services, particularly in the popular east end precinct,” he says.

“We have seen interest from a range of restaurateurs, cafes and boutique office occupiers as well as investors who recognise the rarity and flexibility offered by the space.”

It has a cosy ambience.

CBRE’s Lewis Tong says the city’s food and hospitality sector is booming, with the CBD’s retail vacancy rate at around 3%.

“The vacancy along Little Bourke St is virtually zero,” Tong says.

The site benefits from proximity to restaurants, theatres and hotels and also Bourke and Spring streets and Parliament train station.

The space opens out onto busy Chinatown.

The property will head to auction at 12.30pm, July 12.

It follows a recent off-market sale by CBRE of the Shark Fin House building at 131-135 Little Bourke St for $14.5 million.

In a sign of the lack of retail opportunities in the area, a 58sqm space at 273 Little Lonsdale St occupied by retailer Amelia’s Wardrobe sold earlier this year for $2.435 million.

This article from Leader Newspapers originally appeared as “Gordon Place: rare dining, retail space in circa-1884 city complex”.