The old Coles building at Redcliffe will be fitted out as a restaurant
A WELL-KNOWN businessman and chef has plans for a $1 million redevelopment that will transform an abandoned grocery store into a new restaurant and function centre.
Moreton
Don't miss out on the headlines from Moreton. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IF everything goes to plan an abandoned Coles shop will be sporting a slick new look and purpose by Valentine’s Day next year.
Well-known businessman and chef Adiel Ben-Karmona is spending more than $1 million to transform a former Redcliffe grocery store into a flash new restaurant.
Like his former restaurants at Kippa-Ring, Margate and Redcliffe it will be called Pilpel and focus on Middle Eastern food.
SIGN UP FOR LOCAL NEWSLETTERS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $100 SHOPPING VOUCHER
Mr Ben-Karmona sold his spot at Suttons Beach in February 2017.
At the time he told the Herald he had no plans to open another restaurant.
“I am ready to come back,” he said.
“I did a lot of research and travel and am trying to bring something different to Redcliffe.”
Mr Ben-Karmona said he had been eyeing off the spot, along the Redcliffe foreshore, for 18 months.
“Four months ago they did a clean up and fixed the roof and made some big changes,” he said.
“I contacted the real estate agent and negotiated a deal via WhatsApp and signed the contract (to lease the space).”
Mr Ben-Karmona plans to divide the space into a restaurant and a function centre.
The restaurant is planned to seat 250 people, including a bar and an open kitchen so guests can watch and smell the food as it is cooked.
The function centre will have standing room for close to 600 guests. Upstairs will have the bathrooms, chill out zones for men and women and a children’s area with a cinema.
Mr Ben-Karmona said he expected to use up to 200 local tradespeople during the fit out, before employing up to 30 full-time staff.
“I live and breathe Redcliffe and like to support the locals,” he said.
Mr Ben-Karmona hopes to open the restaurant on Valentine’s Day next year.
He also has plans to open a second restaurant in the new Laguna North Lakes development in Two-and-a-half years time.
‘Holy s***’: Qld man gets life-changing $60m call
A South East Queensland man has told how he was drifting off to sleep, daydreaming about how life-changing winning the lotto could be, when he received the incredible call to tell him he’d done just that.
Ex-Redcliffe footy star facing theft, armed robbery, NDIS fraud charges
A former Redcliffe Dolphins player accused of robbing a vape store while threatening he was armed, robbing a pizza delivery driver and ripping off the NDIS, has been granted bail after spending nearly four months behind bars on remand.