Cocktail bar owner steps back from business project

A cocktail bar owner has stepped back from his business in the night-life precinct, leaving an opportunity for a keen entrepreneur or mixologist.

Cocktail bar owner Richard Norris said he made the choice to prioritise his family over Flinders Social. Picture: Evan Morgan

A cocktail bar in the Townsville night-life precinct is up for lease, after its owner struggled to maintain two businesses while spending time with family.

Business owner Richard Norris decided to step back from his newer bar Flinders Social, based at 175 Flinders Street, after becoming a father in December.

Mr Norris had spent “100 hour weeks” managing two bars, with the other being Osk in North Ward.

He decided to run one bar instead while prioritising more time with his family.

Ray White has advertised the bar to be leased at $70,000 per annum, which was within a heritage building most recently refurbished in 2022.

Townsville night-life precinct cocktail bar Flinders Social is up for lease. Picture: Leighton Smith.

The advertisement recognised the “architecturally designed and fully functional cocktail bar fit-out” with enough space for 100 patrons.

“It’s a great venue,” Mr Norris said.

“I would be highly surprised if it was on the market for much longer to be honest.

First look inside Flinders Social when it opened last July.

“The place is fully set-up and its kind of ready to take it over and I’m pretty sure that someone else is going to jump in there and make a great go of it.

“The environment of Townsville is still going great for business.

“For me at the minute, it was just the case of how many hours are in a day.”

The heritage listed building was constructed in 1887 but renovated by developers Kayle Wright and Brodie Jankovic in 2022, which was supported by the council’s city activation policy.

Mr Norris took over the space that become Flinders Social last July and redesigned the bar area.

The bar focused on social gatherings and fast-paced cocktails on top, but he then decided to have a second ‘soft opening’ in October to focus on cocktail food science techniques.

Originally published as Cocktail bar owner steps back from business project