Sofia Tsantes ran the nation’s original Barnacle Bill for four decades. Picture: Brett Hartwig.
Loyal fans of a popular fish and chippery that was an Adelaide seafood institution for more than 40 years were disappointed when it closed.
Almost six months on, the Plympton site’s future is looking much brighter.
The property at 304 Anzac Highway, which was the flagship location of Barnacle Bill, has been leased.
Century 21 Commercial Adelaide agent Matt Lazarus said while the tenant couldn’t be revealed just yet, he confirmed it was an experienced family-owned SA hospitality group – and fish and chips could be back on the menu.
The Plympton property at 304 Anzac Highway is now leased to a new tenant.
“The demand (for a food business) is there,” said Mr Lazarus, who leased the property with Ronald Ozeri.
“This group saw the opportunity to keep it going and serve the community.”
Mr Lazarus said the owner was “picky” about who was going to move into the building but they had plenty of good candidates to choose from, from a national franchise group to local businesses.
He said the new tenant would breathe new life into the fully-fitted restaurant building.
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“(The owner is) very happy that’s now going to someone who’s going to refurbish the building,” Mr Lazarus said.
The property was a much-loved fish and chippery for decades before the business wrapped up in February.
Sofia Tsantes and her late husband Paraschos became the nation’s first Barnacle Bill franchisees when the duo took over the Plympton restaurant opened by George Leonida in 1970.
Mrs Tsantes with daughter Zoie. Picture: Brett Hartwig.
Mrs Tsantes managed the business for three years after losing her husband to brain cancer.
Her contract expired on Valentine’s Day and she chose not to renew it as she believed it was time for someone else to take over.
“I’ve got six grandchildren and I just want to be ‘Grandma”, to be able to watch them at soccer and basketball and different things,” she said in January.
“I’ve so many favourite customers who I will miss … I keep joking that when I leave I’ll just order a cup of coffee and sit out the front.”