End of an era: Maisie's owners sell iconic Noosa restaurant

The owners of iconic Gympie Tce restaurant Maisie's have announced they have sold the establishment and will be retiring after 20 years.

Julie and Ziggy Fiegl have sold iconic Noosaville restaurant Maisie's after 20 years. Picture: Amber Macpherson

THE owners of iconic Gympie Tce restaurant Maisie's have announced they have sold the establishment and will be retiring after 20 years.

While the seafood and steak restaurant should maintain the same menu and services for the foreseeable future, Ziggy and Julie Fiegl will no longer run the venue.

Mrs Fiegl said the couple had shared some wonderful memories with customers and staff in their time there.

"A lot of locals celebrated their birthdays, anniversaries, family gatherings here,” Mrs Fiegl said.

"We have tourists that come back year after year. They've (our customers) been kind to us.”

Maisie's has become a permanent fixture in the Noosa River hospitality scene, with its history dating back almost 100 years.

The Massoud family built the restaurant in 1920 and ran it as a cafe, serving customers during the Great Depression and World War II.

The restaurant became a favourite with soldiers during the war, who would drive amphibious trucks out of the Noosa River and up to collect food.

Daughter Maisie Massoud worked as a waitress and cook at the cafe - and would later visit for meals in her elderly years until she passed away in 2005 - hence the name of the restaurant.

Mr and Mrs Fiegl took over the restaurant in 1997 when it served food much different to its menu today.

"When we bought the place, it was a Mexican restaurant,” Mrs Fiegl said.

"We kept it as a Mexican for three months, then changed it. We specialised in seafood and steaks, so we cooked what we knew.”

Mrs Fiegl said Maisie's built up a reputation for serving hearty meals in an historic and welcoming building.

"The reputation is giving generous portions, we did try to keep prices down,” Mrs Fiegl said.

"We have pictures all over the walls of Maisie's and Noosa.

"The staff is our family. We're a tight-knit team, with friendly, happy staff - some have been with us for 15, 20 years.”

Mr and Mrs Fiegl will continue to live in Noosa while enjoying their well-earned time off.

"We are staying in Noosa, the best place to live,” Mrs Fiegl said.

"It has been hard work but very satisfying.

"We're just at that age, it was the right time to sell Maisie's.

"We're getting things done around the house that have been neglected.

"We're spending more time with the grand kids.

"We will travel in the future, and we're looking at a cruise.”

The couple would like to thank their employees and the community who have supported Maisie's over the years.

"(We) would like to thank our loyal staff.

"Thanks also to our regular customers. Also, thanks to our lovely landlady Micki and her husband David.

"(Our customers were) shocked, but also said, 'congratulations, you've done a good job. You've worked hard, you deserve to relax'.”