Former ice-cream and lolly shop in Clunes boasts sweet memories
A much-loved piece of Clunes’ historic streetscape, and one of the town’s best-known shopfronts, has come to market with the sale of 50 Fraser Street. The iconic building is being offered for sale with tenants in place, priced at $550,000.
Now trading as Clunes Coffee Palace, the property has long been associated with the town’s retail heart and will be remembered by many locals as the former home of Twankies, a cafe, lolly shop, and ice-creamery that operated for more than two decades.
Selling agent Angela Flowers of Belle Property Daylesford said the building still holds a special place in the community.
“I think the building will always be affectionately known as Twankies. Tim and Michael ran the business for probably the best part of 20 years. It became a real institution in town,” she said.
While the confectionery era has passed, the site continues to serve as a hub for locals to gather, with a popular cafe tenant operating from the main space and a second tenancy next door now home to a massage therapist.
“Both Erica, who runs the Coffee Palace, and Caro, the masseuse, are very well respected Clunes people. I’m hoping they will be there for a long time,” said Flowers.
The property offers dual frontage and flexibility, with two separate entrances across an internal floor space of about 120 square metres. It sits on approximately 650 square metres of land and includes an outdoor seating area at the rear.
Flowers said Clunes, while quieter than nearby Daylesford, is showing signs of steady evolution, with new infrastructure and younger buyers beginning to enter the market.
“In the next five to 10 years, Clunes will really kick on,” she said. “We’ve just had a brand new kindergarten and childcare centre built, and there’s a fair bit of activity in new builds.”
With a permanent population of around 800, swelling significantly during peak periods, Clunes has increasingly attracted Melbourne-based buyers seeking a part-time lifestyle with a long-term view towards retirement.
“It’s not a rapid growth area, but for an investor not looking to flip something in two or three years – more someone wanting to hold long term – it’s a solid opportunity,” Flowers said.
Beyond the income profile, she said the appeal also lies in securing a slice of local heritage.
“To have a piece of the Clunes streetscape is something special. It’s about preserving these beautiful old buildings and bringing them back to their former glory.”
