A historic Maroubra property with deep ties to one of Australia’s most significant food culture pioneers has been listed for sale, marking the first time it has changed hands outside the family in 95 years.
The two-storey residence at 3/730 Anzac Parade, known as Bettina, was built by Joachim Tavlaidis, better known as Mick Adams – the Greek immigrant who opened Australia’s first American-style milk bar in 1932.
Adams arrived in Australia from Greece as a 14-year-old in the early 1920s. A decade later, he would change the nation’s food landscape forever when he launched the Black & White 4d milk bar at Martin Place in Sydney on 4 November 1932, according to historians Effy Alexakis and Leonard Janiszewski.
Photo Credit: Facebook / ShirleyAnn Williams
The milk bar concept proved wildly successful. By 1937, approximately 4,000 milk bars were operating across Australia, transforming how Australians socialised and consumed food.
Photo Credit: Facebook / ShirleyAnn Williams
Adams constructed the Maroubra property as a wedding gift for his daughter. The building, distinguished by its clock tower, has served various commercial purposes over the decades – operating as a milk bar, butcher shop, pizza restaurant and other ventures.
“He gave the property to my mother as a wedding present, and she owned it until her passing last year,” grandson Michael Gerondis explained in a statement.
Mr Gerondis and his sister purchased the property from their siblings and undertook extensive renovations to preserve its heritage while creating modern living spaces.
The restoration revealed fascinating glimpses into the building’s past. Workers discovered newspaper and linoleum from 1937 beneath the kitchen carpet, with floorboards underneath that had never been walked on.
“The floorboards had never been walked on – they’re pristine. We’ve polished them and they’re being used for the first time in nearly 90 years,” Mr Gerondis said.
The property’s iconic clock, frozen in time for 30 years, is now working again following the restoration.
The building has been converted into three family terraces, with the property for sale featuring generous proportions and significant original character. The former milk bar space became a recreational room during Mr Gerondis’s son’s tenancy, complete with a pinball machine and basketball court.
Ray White Dulwich Hill agent Steve Kremisis is handling the sale, with the property carrying a guide price of $1.8 million.
The listing describes the residence as smartly upgraded with impressive proportions, traditional charm and a deep rear garden, positioned in Maroubra’s sought-after Golden Triangle precinct.
Adams’ legacy received formal recognition in July 2024 when a commemorative plaque was unveiled in Martin Place, Sydney, after a seven-year campaign. The plaque acknowledges Adams’ achievement in establishing what historians believe was the world’s first modern milk bar, though both of Adams’ daughters had passed away before seeing the plaque installed.
The property is being offered for the first time in its history to buyers outside the Adams family, representing a rare opportunity to own a piece of Australian food history in one of Maroubra’s most recognisable buildings.
Published 11-December-2025