Sunshine Coast business openings and closures of 2023
From shock closures to booked-out openings that got locals talking, check out the dozens of businesses that opened and closed on the Sunshine Coast in the past year.
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From exciting new dining experiences to an edgy barber and medicinal cannabis clinic, the Sunshine Coast business scene had many openings this year.
But it wasn’t all positive with many businesses shutting down under the pressure of increasing costs and staffing issues.
See the businesses which were welcomed this year and those which will be dearly missed by the community.
River View Rooftop
A Sunshine Coast chef’s Italian heritage inspired his latest culinary venture overlooking the Maroochy River.
Steve Musico opened River View Rooftop restaurant and bar in September at Bli Bli, above Bli Bli Car Wash and Dog Wash.
Mr Musico’s menu offers modern Australian-style dishes with an “Italian twist”, many of which were inspired by his grandmother’s recipes.
“I want them (customers) to have an experience they haven’t had before in regards to our customer service,” Mr Musico said.
“The atmosphere is one, being where they are, and two; I want them to walk out full.”
A pastry chef by trade, Mr Musico also owns Confessions Bar and Eatery in Mooloolaba and formerly owned One Up Bar and Bistro.
Motel Caloundra
A hospitality baron and husband-and-wife team experienced in renovations reopened an iconic 1970s Caloundra motel after transforming it into a “haven of style and tranquillity”.
The interior and exterior of Caloundra City Centre Motel were completely redesigned to reopen as Motel Caloundra in September.
The couple behind the Insta-famous Loea Boutique Hotel – Andrew and Lucy Pink – partnered with Maeva Hospitality managing director Scott Armstrong to take on the major renovation project.
The motel was a “concrete shell of a building” before they started renovations in May, 2023, Mr Pink said.
After stripping the building back to concrete, the Pink couple and Mr Armstrong redesigned and installed a new deluxe interior and exterior, including kingsize beds, smart TVs and family rooms.
Vrina Mezze
A Sunshine Coast electrical contractor has brought a taste of Mykonos to the Sunshine Coast with the opening of riverfront tapas bar at Parrearra.
KK Electrical Contracting owner Kosta Spilios opened Vrina Mezze and Bar at the former location of Mykies by the Bay, next door to the Green Zebra Restaurant and Bar.
Mr Spilios said prior to the opening the restaurant would offer Greek-style tapas for sharing with cocktails alongside a wood-fired pizza oven and fish and chips for takeaway.
Aiming to connect Greek and Australian “culinary landscapes”, its menu includes everything from grilled octopus and lamb souvlaki to crispy Saganaki cheese, tomahawk steak, and lamb shoulder.
He said they would also sell soft-serve ice cream as takeaway for those visiting the neighbouring playground, and the venue would seat up to 140 people.
Planet 72 Ice Creamery
A Hervey Bay ice cream shop featuring 72 flavours and voted as the best in Australia opened a second store in Noosa.
Planet 72 Ice Creamery opened at Gympie Terrace, Noosaville in August.
The family-run Hervey Bay shop was crowned Australia’s best ice creamery in Wotif.com’s Uniquely Aussie Awards in October, 2022.
Owner Dallas Harch said it was a good time to expand after 18 years in Hervey Bay, particularly after the buzz which followed the award.
With a whopping 72 flavours – several rotating in and out – Noosa’s bestseller so far was the burnt fig and honeycomb.
Other popular choices were the rum and raisin, rock salt caramel as well as rainbow and fairy floss for the children.
Some of the more exotic flavours include black sesame, chai tea, Snickers and peanut butter cookie dough.
Alma by Latinos
Costa-Rican chef Alejandro Soto opened Alma by Latinos at the former home of Drunken Dumpling at the Ocean St night-life precinct in Maroochydore
Mr Soto’s hospitality career, inspired by watching his mother prepare authentic Central American dishes, has allowed him to find work around the world.
Since working in various Sunshine Coast restaurants including Rice Boi, Junk, Giddy Geisha and Lucio’s in Noosa, he now operates his own 100-seat restaurant with full bar serving cocktails, wine and more.
Mr Soto said after seeing a gap in the market, he wanted to create a place for people to enjoy the authentic flavours which may not have been an opportunity on the Sunshine Coast before.
The menu features a range of hot and cold meals including Peruvian salmon ceviche, veal marinated with pickled vegetables, empanadas and a Coconut inspired Brazilian seafood stew as well as a variety of snacks.
Paradise Bar and Bistro
Sunshine Coast-based distillery Paradise Rum opened a new bar and bistro in Mooloolaba in June this year.
Paradise Rum owners Chris and Cathryn Clyne opened their first venue – the Paradise Rum Distillery – in November, 2022 and have had “significant growth and success” since then.
Mr Clyne had transformed the former site of Good Bar Mooloolaba on First Ave into the Paradise Bar and Bistro within 90 days.
Venue manager Simon Jones said they were excited to provide a “unique destination for rum lovers” showcasing the “tropical and idyllic” scenery of Mooloolaba alongside the brand’s rum, gin and vodka.
The new venue is a Caribbean-style space with a vibrant, beach-themed interior and the kitchen is serving a modern Australian menu with a “tropical twist.”
The Rickshaw
“Serial entrepreneur”, engineer and hospitality boss Kunal Miind is behind The Rickshaw at Maroochydore, adding to his six restaurants across Sydney and Brisbane.
He was joined by head chef Lucas Doocey, former Junk chef and Woodhouse Barbecue owner, and general manager Mick Wallace, who previously owned Ocean St restaurant Machu Pichu.
The group aspired to take “authentic” Asian cuisine to the next level on the Sunshine Coast.
The vision for the restaurant was to pay homage to the role of the rickshaw – a light, two-wheeled cart used in Asian countries – that travels across Asia as the “driver of spices and ingredients”, Mr Miind said.
Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Asia have played a role in the creation of The Rickshaw’s menu and cocktail list.
The Doonan
A multimillion-dollar luxury outdoor restaurant and bar opened on March 2 in the Noosa hinterland with tables booked out five days in advance.
Queensland family-owned company The Comiskey Group and friends and business partners Josh Jones and Neville Allen opened $6.5m, two-hectare venue The Doonan.
The Comiskey Group director Rob Comiskey said the “labour of love” project along Beddington Rd, Doonan has been years in the making after his family bought the unique three-storey building and property which was formerly a German restaurant in 2006.
The property underwent major renovations to transform it into a 200-seat venue, with a bar and kitchen on the first floor, a 50-person function room on the second, and offices and a boardroom on the third.
The Doonan has 60 staff, including two gardeners, taking care of its abundant greenery, outdoor seating, two bars, ice cream parlour, a liquor store with many local brands, and a grass field for lawn games or to kick a ball.
Bli Bli Hotel
The three-storey venue features a 300-seat bistro with open-air terrace, a play area, function room, sports bar, dedicated gaming lounge, and drive-through/walk-in bottle shop.
Serving a menu designed by group executive chef Damien Grimes, the meals highlight the diversity of Australian flavours using ingredients sourced from local suppliers.
The venue is a collaboration between developers Roz and Michael White, Maeva Hospitality Director Scott Armstrong and the Deery family, the latter the owners of the iconic Story Bridge Hotel and the Woodford Hotel.
RB Mooloolaba
Fine dining Asian restaurant RB Dining in Mooloolaba received more than 1000 bookings within 24 hours of its opening in May.
Sunshine Coast chef and businessman Tony Kelly opened RB upstairs at The Wharf with business partners Mitch Smith and Elyza Molloy, who also partner for their modern-Asian restaurant Rice Boi.
Mr Kelly now owns 10 restaurants including Giddy Geisha, Market Bistro, Spero, Bocca Italian and Piggyback.
He opened the new venue after numerous calls from the public.
“For so long now we’ve had the punters asking what they have had to do to get Asian food in the calibre of Rice Boi but where they can make a reservation or get a nice wine list or even get more comfortable dining,” Mr Kelly said.
“I guess if you take that foundation of smart, modern Asian food and just elevate it to a more formal setting it’s the ultimate Rice Boi package I guess.”
The 300sq m venue, manned by 30 staff members, features a 60-seat restaurant, a cocktail bar seating 30-40 and a 14-seat private dining room.
Lanai Noosa
A restaurant focusing on native foods and sustainability opened in May at a former popular Noosa dining spot.
Executive chef and director of The Ohana Group Ryan Fitzpatrick opened Lanai Noosa at the site of previous eatery Thomas Street Corner at the Gympie Terrace, Noosaville
Mr Fitzpatrick said they often visited the former restaurant and were excited to build on what previous owners David and Belinda Rayner had created.
Mr Fitzpatrick said rather than reinventing the restaurant wheel, they were “polishing it up” and offering something different to diners.
The restaurant intended to serve “under used” seafood and cuts of meat sourced sustainably, as well as native ingredients from Cooroy.
“We are very fortunate to be working with Sevgen (an indigenous social enterprise) that have Galeru, which is Australia’s largest indigenous owned native orchard,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.
Pizzeria Sisily
A popular Golden Beach cafe known for authentic Italian pastries expanded with a brand new culinary venture.
Cafe Sisily owners Giuliana Steppa and her partner Paolo Valvoletti opened Pizzeria Sisily in June, located behind the cafe.
Ms Steppa described the new addition as an authentic Italian pizzeria, bar and restaurant which served everything from pizzas to arancini and a range of local and imported beverages.
Both Ms Steppa and Mr Valvoletti are of Italian heritage, she said; as are their business partners in the new venture, Lawrence and Mai Mon Forte.
Cafe Sisily was voted the best cafe on the Coast by Sunshine Coast Daily readers in February 2021, less than a year after it opened, and is known for its authentic Italian cannolis being a staple of their menu.
Spill Wine
A Brisbane couple opened a boutique wine bar in Maleny in March this year featuring wine bottles worth $1000.
Jamie Fleming and Clare Hutton opened 30-seat premium wine bar and shop Spill Wine, shelving 150 to 200 different wines and aiming for 400.
The most expensive bottles – at $1000 a pop – are red wines sourced from Alvaro Palacios from Priorate Spain and Domino de Pingus from Ribera del Duero, Spain.
Mr Fleming said he enjoyed quirky but quality wines and wanted to bring something “super luxury” to Maleny.
The entrepreneur said he wanted his venue to be part of the town‘s community, give people access to premium, hand-selected wine, and become known as a go-to stop for wine enthusiasts.
Dacelo Distilling
A single whiskey course was all it took for a Sunshine Coast first responder to get into the gin business and open Coolum Beach’s first distillery.
Paramedic of 16 years, Samantha Franks and her wife Siobhan opened Dacelo Distilling at the beginning of October after the pandemic made the Mount Coolum couple realise they “just needed a change”.
Dacelo Distilling, located in an industrial area at Lysaght St, Coolum Beach, offers a unique selection of native Australian gins named after the different local kookaburra species that often visit the couple’s home.
For Ms Franks, who admits to not being a particularly big gin drinker herself, distilling her own gin from local, native ingredients, such as banksia and gumbi gumbi, has helped create gins for everyone’s tastes.
From the six gins on offer, four have already taken home bronze medals from the Australian Gin Awards 2023.
Knuckleheads
Upbeat music, a basketball hoop and hundreds of colourful stickers are all part of the relaxing “vibe” at an edgy Sunshine Coast barber shop.
Luke Grevell and Michael Vernon-Livingston opened Knuckleheads in April near Kawana Shopping World, born out of a spontaneous business idea from the pair.
They completed their apprenticeship at the same barbershop in Birtinya and worked for several years before they wanted a new challenge.
In opening their first barbershop they wanted to create a fun, clubhouse atmosphere where people could get their hair cut, hang out and have a great time.
He described the business as a spontaneous, impulsive idea and it felt surreal to take on the new challenge of running his own shop.
BCF Birtinya
A forestry of fishing rods and a stylish map is the first thing you see when you walk into the second biggest BCF store in Australia.
The store opened in Birtinya in June.
The store occupies the space formerly housing Anaconda, which moved to Spotlight’s old premises. The Boating, Camping and Fishing store’s new shop has been in the works ever since.
BCF site manager Andrew Gunn said the store is the largest in South East Queensland and second biggest in the country, bested only by their Townsville store which opened in November, 2022.
OneHealth
A former Sunshine Coast nightclub owner and DJ who is now one Australia’s leading medicinal cannabis doctors opened his own clinic on the Sunshine Coast in August.
Dr James Stewart returned to the Sunshine Coast from Melbourne to open OneHealth clinic at Maroochydore’s WholeLife Pharmacy.
Mr Stewart owned Mooloolaba nightclub Motown with his brother and sister between 2003 and 2006.
But after years of “partying too hard” Mr Stewart gave up DJing to go to university and transform his life.
Medicinal cannabis comes with side effects and is not suitable for everyone. It is advised to speak with a health practitioner before consuming any form of cannabis.
Havana Haus
Havana Productions owner and mum-of-two Chloe Hutchison opened an “all-in-one” photography and production studio Havana Haus at the Coolum Beach industrial estate in late July.
The facilities include a podcast production room as well as flash and natural photography studios, private offices and co-working spaces on top of production and post-production services.
The two-storey warehouse with a premium fit-out has welcomed a range of brands, models and content creators already, while Ms Hutchison works with global brands such as Roxy, Billabong and Wrangler.
Her vision is for Havana Haus to be a creative hub which welcomes everyone, not just big brands, she said.
Ms Hutchison said she wanted a highly-functional space, where every corner could be a photo shoot location or working space.
Hope House Espresso
A specialty coffee shop, built with a desire to “bring hope” into the lives of struggling women, opened at Alexandra Headland in May.
Mike and Gillian Foster established the not-for-profit Hope House Espresso cafe to provide emergency meals, care packages, counselling services and more to women in crisis, with the interior built with 80 per cent donated labour.
The idea emerged about a year ago as the couple, after living on the coast for 40 years, observed inflation and cost-of-living driving middle-aged women into homeless and financial difficulties.
The couple has already owned a “community-minded business” next door for eight years – the Milk and Beans Coffee House always donated 20 cents from each cup of coffee to support a cause.
Their dream for the establishment is to be an award-winning not-for-profit business someday.
“We want people to think charity can actually bring an excellence in the products they bring to the community as well,” Mr Foster said.
Coastal Artistry
Coastal Artistry opened June at Mooloolaba Esplanade, where soon after two of their staff were named best hairdressers on the Sunshine Coast by readers.
Dannielle Rossetto and Jayde Smith were crowned as winner and were “thrilled” by the news of their win.
“We are both so excited and amazed by the incredible support that we have from our loyal clients,” Ms Rossetto and Ms Smith said.
The pair have more than 17 years of experience in the industry and have been working together for years.
“We aim to provide the ultimate pampering experience for every client,” they said.
Viet Haus
Hoang Ky Tran and his partner Nhan Huu Phan – known locally as Josh and Alex – opened Viet Haus at Ocean St in July.
The venue is a Vietnamese kitchen and bar serving an authentic menu.
The couple moved to the Sunshine Coast this year and previously Mr Tran had spent 15 years helping his mother run a restaurant in Brisbane.
Mr Tran said they have received good feedback since opening and already have regulars returning three weeks after opening.
Closures
Malt Shovel Taphouse
An award-winning, loved and popular Sunshine Coast tap house closed its doors in March. .
The Malt Shovel Taphouse at Stockland Birtinya issued a statement on social media informing patrons the venue was permanently closing its doors.
News of the closure came on the eve of a second creditors meeting to hear from the administrators appointed to Food Focus Australia Pty Ltd, the company behind Malt Shovel Taphouse.
Food Focus Australia had also previously traded as the popular Sunshine Coast music venue NightQuarter, which shut down late last year.
Former director of Food Focus Australia Michelle Christoe – who was director until administrators were appointed on November 28, 2022 – said the closure of Malt Shovel Taphouse was mainly due to the debt accrued by NightQuarter.
Gopals
The parent company of a popular vegetarian restaurant in Maroochydore went into liquidation following the business’s shock closure.
Located on Ocean St, Maroochydore, Gopal’s Pure Vegetarian developed a cult-like following among veggie-lovers since the restaurant first opened in 2011.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents show liquidators were appointed to GG Eats Group Pty Ltd – which had traded as Gopal’s Pure Vegetarian Maroochydore and Muse Taqueria House – on May 30, 2023
Liquidator at Revive Financial Jarvis Archer said there appeared to be debts of about $163,000 to lenders and the Australian Taxation Office.
Mr Archer said the director did not renew the lease for the restaurant following ongoing economic issues plaguing many local businesses.
Miyako Lounge
A prominent bar in the Sunshine Coast’s party precinct closed after undergoing a major revamp.
Miyako Lounge, formerly the Drunken Dumpling, on Ocean St in Maroochydore announced its closure on Facebook.
The social post stated the venue would close indefinitely in late June.
“We’d like to thank all the loyal regulars that supported us as Miyako Lounge and The Drunken Dumpling,” the post stated.
“We hope that in our time here on Ocean St we have been able to help create some fond memories with your closest.
China Jade Chinese Restaurant
China Jade Chinese Restaurant owner May Mew and her husband John closed their popular restaurant after 25 years of business.
Mrs and Mr Mew, along with Mrs Mew’s two brother-in-laws, decided to call time on their Mary St restaurant in Noosaville in August.
Mrs Mew and her husband ran the front-of-house and her brother-in-laws Alan Zhang and Ken Liang kept the quality dishes coming through the pass.
First opened in 1998, the co-owners have all decided to retire, with Mr Mew in his 80s.
Mount Coolum Bao Down
Rising costs and staff shortages became too much to overcome. for a Sunshine Coast restaurant owner, forcing the closure of his business in May.
Mount Coolum Bao Down owner Joshua Gordon said it was a difficult decision that surprised even him.
The restaurant on the David Low Way closed after seven years of business
“We got through Covid really well, the support from the locals was incredible,” he said.
The chef said, ultimately, it was “the cost of everything going up”, a lack of staff and a demand for chefs was “so high” he had to pay more in their wages that factored into the closure.
Sunny Street
The parent company behind a Maroochydore medical centre dedicated to helping vulnerable people in the community had folded following funding issues.
Sunny Street Maroochydore Pty Ltd – which entered voluntary liquidation on June 1 – first opened its doors to patients in 2018 and was awarded a Sunshine Coast Business Award in 2022.
Sunny Street Medical Centre in Maroochydore provided bulk billed medical services to those in the region experiencing homelessness and other vulnerabilities, without needing a Medicare card.
The medical centre was managed by two directors, Australian of the Year nominee Dr Nova Evans and nurse manager Sonia Martin.
Ms Martin said the closure of Sunny Street was due to the service being unable to secure funding, however she was still adamant she would continue to find ways to help those vulnerable in the community.
Peak Wine Bar
A popular former wine bar turned Sunshine Coast nightclub closed early this year after its parent company folded.
Australian Securities and Investments Commission records show CR Cameron Enterprises Pty Ltd members decided on February 27, 2023 to appoint Dane Hammond of Worrells Solvency and Forensic Accountants as liquidator.
The company had traded as popular Peak Wine Bar on Ocean St, Maroochydore and Colin Cameron was listed in Commission documents as its sole director since its inception in 2007.
Worrells Principal Mr Hammond said initial investigations indicated the company currently owed more than $600,000, including unpaid staff entitlements and a debt to the Australian Taxation Office.
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