Caringbah milk bar, southern Sydney

Article from: St George & Sutherland Shire Leader
16 November 2004 pages 7 & 8
Author: John Mulcair
Photo: John Veage


Milkbar family sells, and leaves you in good hands

PHOTO CAPTION:
Farewell: Peter and Bill Cassimatis have retired after running the Caringbah landmark for 36 years. Peter is pictured front left with Bill and his wife Kathy next to him. Picture: John Veage

ONE of Caringbah’s landmarks, Parry’s Milk Bar and Candy Store, changed hands yesterday for the first time in 36 years.
The Cassimatis family have sold what they have proudly claimed to be Sydney’s last, traditional Greek milk bar.

No fast food, a huge range range of confectionery and chocolates, milkshakes made in the old metal containers and served at a table in a glass, and coffee to die to for. Oh, and a large range of smokes, including a cigar range popular with the new dads from up the road at Sutherland Hospital.

Beyond this, the milk bar next to the Caringbah railway steps has provided a refuge for kids who have missed trains and parents collecting them, often providing a ‘‘come and get me’’ phone service long before the days of mobiles.

Bill and Peter Cassimatis have decided to sell because, as Bill put it: ‘‘We’ve been here a while and its better to walk out than get carried out.’’

The good news is that new owners, local couples Tim and Helen Downes and Doug and Kelly Beattie, will be keeping the successful formula.

The story of the Cassimatis brothers follows the odyssey of so many Greeks after World War II.

With little money and even less English, they left their home on Kythera buoyed by hope and dreams - but with the support offered by extended families with an already extensive network in Australia of the ubiquitous ‘‘Greek cafes’’.

Arriving in 1948, they lived at Murwillumbah in northern NSW with Peter spending a brief time at school before joining Bill working at an uncle’s Civic Cafe, ‘‘learning the language and earning some money.’’

Then followed five years working at another uncle’s bakery in Erskine Street, Sydney, ‘‘where we didn’t save much money, but had a great time.’’

For the next 10 years the landmark Regal Cafe at Toowoomba, renowned for its morning and afternoon teas, was their home. Bill recalled that one of their regulars was a magistrate who gained fame for becoming the first in Australia to jail a drunk driver.

Some 36 years ago the brothers, with Bill’s wife Kathy, arrived in Caringbah to take over Parry’s.

Caringbah was a much different place then, with department stores and a vibrant Friday and Saturday night social scene, much of which centred around milk bars.

Bodgies and widgies, surfies and rockers, punks, goths and all the variations...Peter and Bill have seen them all.

‘‘We have always enjoyed being part of Caringbah, serving our customers, and members of the business community and part of the wonderful Sutherland Shire,’’ they said.

‘‘We thank everyone for their support and know you will get the same service from Tim and Doug.’’