Cafe in Adelaide being advertised as free near the Railway Station

The owners of an Adelaide CBD cafe have decided to retire – but rather than sell up, they want to help someone start their own business.

An Adelaide couple is giving away the opportunity of a lifetime by offering their CBD cafe to a lucky South Australian free of charge.

Nuala and John Burns started working at My Goodness Cafe, which is situated in Station Arcade off Hindley St, in 2005, and have owned it since 2008.

The Covid pandemic made business challenging but in the end Mr Burns’ deteriorating health forced the couple to shut shop and make the challenging decision to give away the business.

Mr Burns advertised their cafe on a private Facebook group called Market Place Adelaide on Monday and more than 100 people have expressed interest through comments.

New owners would have to pay only $600 a week for rent and outgoings, on a three-year lease. All fittings come with the business without cost.

My Goodness cafe Adelaide is being offered up for free to the right owner. Picture: Facebook

My Goodness cafe Adelaide is being offered up for free to the right owner. Picture: Facebook

“Sadly, very poor health and age have forced us to stop working and subsequently give our lovely shop away at no cost,” Mr Burns, 71, wrote.

Ms Burns told The Advertiser they had a successful career in the cafe and hoped giving away the business would provide a similar opportunity to someone else.

“The most important thing for John and I is each other, and you can’t buy that,” Ms Burns, 60, said.

“We have had an incredibly lovely time there, and we’d like someone else to have a lovely time there too.”

She has been showing people the store every day this week and said the new owner should have some general business knowledge and a plan.

“We want it to succeed, we don’t want to give it away and someone become bankrupt in a month,” she said.

“We’re just hopeful that the right person will come along.”

My Goodness cafe Adelaide is being offered up for free to the right owner. Picture: Facebook

The eastern-suburbs couple share two daughters aged 33 and 24.

“This is indeed our intention, to pass on our business to someone who may not otherwise have the opportunity to start their own business,” Mr Burns said.

For more information, contact owners on [e-mail]