Why Andonis Cafe and Bar flagship Yeronga location is closing down

A popular Brisbane cafe group, with seven locations across the city, will close its flagship location after choosing not to renew their lease due to operating hours “destroys business”.

Andonis Cafe and Bar is closing its flagship location at Yeronga.

A popular Brisbane cafe group, with seven locations across the city, will close its flagship location after choosing not to renew their lease.

Andonis Cafe and Bar will shut the doors on its Yeronga shop at 19 Orontes Rd this weekend, leaving loyal customers and the local community devastated.

Owner Anthony Kekkou started Andonis in 2017 with this location but said the decision was out of their hands.

“We chose not to renew our lease for numerous reasons … The most important one being when we first entered the lease in 2017 we were not made aware of the DA approved trading hours, only being allowed to commence trading from 7am not 6am,” he said.

Mr Kekkou said they later received a $16,000 fine from the Brisbane City Council for trading outside the allowed hours and then tried to work with Council to get them changed – an attempt that was unsuccessful.

Andonis Cafe at Yeronga which is closing after seven years.

“Unfortunately not being able to commence trade from 6am as a cafe destroys the business,” Mr Kekkou said.

A Council spokesman said the cafe’s operating hours were subject to a court order after residents appealed the development approval due to concerns about noise impacts and other matters.

“Any changes to court-ordered operating hours would need to be approved by the court, not Council,” the spokesman said.

“Under the State Government’s Planning Act, it is illegal not to adhere to approved operating hours and Council will investigate if a complaint is made.”

Despite the sad closure, Mr Kekkou said the Yeronga location would be a venue he would remember forever.

Andonis Cafe and Bar owner Anthony Kekkou and one of his staff members.

“(It is the) longest standing cafe in the area. Other cafes have changed hands four to five times during the storms but we survived at 19 Orontes Road thanks to our staff and family, that being our customers,” he said.

“This (cafe) was my baby, my first proper business as a young 20-year-old entrepreneur with enough drive and ambition to take over the world. This will be an address I will remember until my last breath.

“Important and life long memories were made here. This location is where the Andonis cafe group started.”

Mr Kekkou also said the Andonis Cafe group still had big plans for the near future in Brisbane.

“One chapter closes, another one opens. The company has seven locations with our latest Mt Gravatt location due to open in less than two weeks,” he said.

“We have another 13 exciting new locations coming over the next 24 months which we cannot wait to share with Brisbane and beyond.

“We cannot thank Yeronga enough for the memories and time shared together and will always be home for myself and the brand Andonis.”

Andonis’ Yeronga cafe will close on Sunday at close of business.