Renowned Geelong butcher shop set for warehouse conversion

Keen renovators will have their eyes on filleting this former Geelong West butcher shop for a funky warehouse conversion.

The shops at 66 and 68 Elizabeth St hit the market this week to be sold separately, with price guides from $300,000 to $580,000.

The shop was run for decades by Geelong West butcher John Gill, pictured in 2004 with then Cat Cameron Ling, who was also the official meat supplier for the Geelong Football Club’s presidents lunch and coterie groups.

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The council has approved plans for four townhouses on the site, which has two shopfronts to Elizabeth St, with number 66 also getting dual access to Waratah St.

Geelong’s Cameron Ling pictured with butcher John Gill in 2004.

But Buxton agent Tom Butters reckons a funky warehouse conversion will be the most likely future for the properties.

“It’s pretty rustic in there so it would be a very, very cool conversion,” Butters says.

“As you can see it was the butchers for years. It’s zoned residential, so I don’t know how long the butchers haven’t been there — it’s been vacant for quite a few years.

Agents say the former butchers shop at 66 and 68 Elizabeth St, Geelong West, will become a funky warehouse conversion.

Butcher’s posters showing all the traditional cuts hang on the shop walls.

“It’s still got the butchers posters hanging on the walls and its fully set up with all the cool rooms and everything.

“I think it’s ripe for one of those funky warehouse conversions but we just haven’t met the person yet that’s prepared to do it.”

Butters says the properties will be sold separately, but a single buyer could purchase both and open up the buildings.

Agent Tom Butters said the shop’s “rustic” interior lends itself to a funky warehouse conversion.

The shop has been empty for some years.

“I feel that with something like this if it was for sale in Melbourne people would just be all over it, it’s going to be that very funky warehouse conversion.

“We’re trying to find the right person in Geelong.”

Butters says it won’t be the first example of a warehouse conversion in the street, with owners of the former Pix Cinema converting the building into two high-end homes.

This article from the Geelong Advertiser originally appeared as “Stake a claim for butcher’s shop ready for warehouse conversion”.