By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
Sand Hill Road director Andy Mullins has revealed that the Melbourne group has big plans for their largest hotel.
Speaking to Australian Hotelier for the 2017 Annual Industry Leaders Forum, Mullins revealed that building the Garden State Hotel in Melbourne’s CBD had been a whirlwind process.
“We had to move quickly. Really quickly,” stated Mullins.
“We met the Zagame family, our landlords, on a Tuesday. We met our financier that afternoon and spent several hours planning our funding strategy with him. And by Wednesday morning we'd committed to the Garden State venture and laid down our money. It was certainly intense. But our speed of execution has always been the key to our growth.”
Since opening the pub in July 2016, Mullins said the venue has fared well, but that the group will not rest on its laurels when it comes to the venue.
“It's been a fantastic opening, but having said that, it's just an opening. We have really exciting plans for the venue and really exciting plans for the role Garden State can play in our city.”
Mullins and his three co-directors – including his brother Matt – are fanatical about their hometown of Melbourne, and have seven pubs based throughout the city.
“We are passionate Melbourne boys. This city has been such an amazing place for us to grow up, cut our teeth on being businessmen, and ultimately now contribute to creating experiences for locals or travellers who visit the city. There is an extraordinary history of pubs in this city, whose walls would tell stories of births, deaths, promotions, redundancies, celebrations of new lives and new directions all toasted. We feel quite fortunate to build venues where engagements happen, where friends and families come to celebrate, commiserate or set a new compass for new life directions. Pubs are awesome. And Garden State will stand for many, many, many more celebrations ahead.”
Andy Mullins reveals more about the group’s operations and ethos in an interview in Australia Hotelier’s 2017 Annual Industry Leaders Forum issue, available in February.