Johnn Johnn’s to close for good as crime takes toll

The owner of a popular Darwin dessert hall is closing for keeps and leaving town. Read the shocking reasons why.

The owner of a popular Darwin gelataria will close his business and leave the Territory at the end of the Dry.

Johnn Johnn’s owner John Koenig has “fallen out of love” with Darwin and in a social media post detailed how frustration at escalating crime and anti-social behaviour contributed to his decision to leave.

Mr Koenig will confirm the closure date later, but the announcement comes after he temporarily closed Johnn Johnn’s last month for a security upgrade following several violent incidents.

On Tuesday Mr Koenig posted that “with a heavy heart” the store would close at the end of the Dry after six-and-a-half “wonderful years of serving gelato to the beautiful city of Darwin”.

Johnn Johnn’s owner Johnn Koenig said he will permanently close and leave town after the Dry. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“The escalating crime and anti-social behaviour over the years have taken a toll,” he wrote. “Customers and lifelong friends have told me that they refuse to come to the city with their children as it is not safe, and the behaviour that occurs on the streets is disgusting. Like many others, I have decided to close down and look to move interstate. Darwin City has been my home for over 30 years, a city I used to love deeply. However, times have changed, and I have fallen out of love with it.”

Mr Koenig thanked staff, Johnn Johnn’s supporters and suppliers and Darwin for the “highs and lows with the most amazing people”.

“Despite the challenges, I am excited about the new chapter that awaits me in a new city, a new environment, and with new opportunities.”

In April, Mr Koenig temporarily closed the ice-creamery, following repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour and crime around the outlet to ensure the safety of staff.

In a three-minute video he detailed a laundry list of incidents, including one where he was approached by a man who had allegedly assaulted half-a-dozen people moments earlier.

Mr Koenig said the man said to him “I’ve got a f---ing knife and I’m going to kill you”.

On another occasion customers were trapped in the Tamarind Park store after a wild brawl outside.

“I was at work constantly looking around making sure I was safe and everyone around me was safe,” he said in the earlier post. “It’s not a way to live.”

NT Chief Minister Eva Lawler said she was very upset to hear of the closure.

“It’s a great business that is in a beautiful spot there, the old CWA building, and it does concern me,” she said.

“I am disappointed and I feel for Johnn Johnns that they’ve had to make that decision.”

Ms Lawler said it was ‘unacceptable’ to have anti-social behaviour, but also levelled some blame at City of Darwin for cutting security funding, calling on the council to work with government on a solution.

“There were a number of things that we have done as a government, huge investments – that $570 million into police – but also not accepting the recommendation that said we don’t need to have security people in our CBD,” she said.

“We do need to have security officers in our CBD.

“It annoys me that the council have cut the funding to their support of those security because we need to work together with council. Council can’t just dump it in the lap of NT government. We’ll end up having to pick up that cost.

“We have put on additional security officers for that area around the park there in Bennett Street, the responsibility is falling to the NT government, it should be a partnership with council around additional security staff.”

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said “we simply cannot go on like this”.

“Labor’s inaction on crime is destroying our lifestyle to the point that you cannot even take your kids into the city for an ice-cream,” she said.

“The closure of Johnn Johnn’s is yet another victim of Labor’s failures. No matter what Labor say now, good people with great businesses will always be let down by a government that will never step up and make people safe.”

Originally published as Johnn Johnn’s to close for good as crime takes toll