A popular Townsville business is up for sale as the city bounces back with more overseas travellers looking for work than ever. See the delicious opportunity.
“They’re just walking up in droves looking for work,” Gelatissimo Townsville owner Astrid Orne-Gliemann said.
Ms Orne-Gliemann and her husband Bob have listed their Palmer St business for sale, after first becoming franchisees in Townsville in October 2010.
Originally, they had a store on The Strand, but left in July 2020 and now pay a fifth of the rent as they did on the beachfront strip.
The couple ran a houseboat rental business out of Lucinda as well; the operation succumbed to the Covid-19 pandemic, but they’ve still got the vessel and plan to enjoy retirement on the water.
Astrid and Bob Orne-Gliemann are retiring after 13 years operating Gelatissimo Townsville. Picture: Shae Beplate.
When they operated at The Strand about 10 to 15 backpackers would drop off a resume each week, now Ms Orne-Gliemann said they received 10 resumes a day.
She put the increase down to travellers no longer needing to do farm work for their working holiday visa, which changed in June 2021.
Manager Bronwyn Letcher shows off one of the special edition flavours that Townsville Gelatissimo has done over the years – Vegemite. Picture: Wesley Monts.
In most of Australia a Working Holiday Maker visa holder needs to do 88 days of work in a regional area in agriculture, fishing, forestry, construction, or mining to apply for a second or third year on their visa.
Tourism and hospitality jobs are excluded from this feature except in Northern Australia and specifically identified remote areas.
“It’s really good to see that many people in Townsville,” Ms Orne-Gliemann said.
“They’ve got to eat and sleep, it’s good for Townsville,” she said.
The gelato business is listed for sale at $490,000, and being brokered by Murray Ryan, who is principal at new venture, Properties In Townsville.
Astrid and Bob Orne-Gliemann ahead of their opening in 2010. Picture: Megan Taylor.
Owning the store would be a “lifestyle choice” for any prospective buyer, he said, because “you’ve got to sell a lot of gelato to pay a wage”.
However, he said two buyers’ brokers had contacted him in the first week since the business was listed.
The current lease has two years left to run. Ms Orne-Gliemann said Gelatissimo would need to approve a new buyer.
Gelatissimo has 44 stores in Australia, and also operates in Bangladesh, China, India, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and the United States.
The most popular of the 28 flavours at the Townsville store is always mango, Ms Orne-Gliemann says, but salted caramel tiramisu is close behind.