Popular bar chain ‘The Deck’ opens its fifth store in regional Victoria in Gippsland

A popular bar chain, with locations across Victoria, has opened up a new franchise in another “growing” regional town.

A popular bar chain has opened its fifth venue in another regional town of Victoria.

The Deck — which first opened in Shepparton — expanded the chain across the state by opening another bar in Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo.

The franchise has now opened up business on Kay St in Traralgon, Gippsland.

Almost 300 partygoers made their way the grand opening on the weekend.

The Kay St venue — a nightclub formerly known as Saloon and Inferno — closed its doors after almost 30 years of operation in February this year.

"The Deck" has opened its fifth venue in Victoria down in Traralgon, Gippsland. Picture: Jack Colantuono

The Deck manager Mitch Butterfield said he heard “real good things” about the Gippsland area and it was “quite a large growing population area”.

“It sort of helps when you are looking for venues — and you look for the places that have got bigger populations and it is quite a booming area,” Mr Butterfield said.

“We sort of weighed up and most of the venues are scattered across a few different areas but unfortunately none quite as far as Traralgon.”

There are venues in Shepparton, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and now Traralgon. Picture: Jack Colantuono

Mr Butterfield said there had been a “large hype” for the Deck in Gippsland.

“It’s been really good — the old venue itself has been around Traralgon for years and years so everyone knows the venue and everyone had already been to the venue when it was operating under the previous name,” he said.

“Just talking to people when we’ve been out and about like going to Bunnings or going to supermarkets and stuff like that — the hype around the venue has been very refreshing.

Manager of the venue Mitch Butterfield said Gippsland was “quite a large growing population area”. Picture: Facebook

“Everyone seems really excited for something new and fresh to come to the town — and our Deck venues are quite well-known for what we do so a lot of people knew what we were about.”

Mr Butterfield added the new venue would provide jobs for young people.

“It’s somewhere new for people who want to get into hospitality and give them an opportunity to work in a different environment, see how we do things and to gain further experience,” he said.