How 4 Victorian businesses kept thriving 85+ years
Ever driven past a business and wondered, how long has that been there?
In Victoria, small businesses that stand the test of time can span several generations of families and owners. Some have been around since the 1800s and their stories are full of resilience, humour, reinvention, and intergenerational ownership.
In celebration of World Senior Citizens Day on Thursday 21 August 2025, we’re shining a light on some of Victoria’s longest-running small businesses.
If you’re building a business with legacy in mind, these owners offer tips, anecdotes, and mindsets to help guide your own journey.
Sun Theatre, 85+ years old
This is the story of a small but mighty theatre. Originally opened in 1938 by the Yeoman family as a single-screen cinema with 1,050 seats, the Sun Theatre was the most luxurious cinema in the area and the first of its kind in Melbourne.
Not just an Aussie sensation, Hollywood stars like Jeanette MacDonald, Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, and Robert Taylor sent goodwill telegrams to usher in a golden age of cinema.
When the cinema first opened, it offered more than just films: it came with thoughtful touches, like a pram cloakroom, as co-owner Michael Smith recalls.
'People would leave their prams with the baby still in them! If the baby started crying, the tag number you were given would come up on the corner of the screen telling you to come and tend to your child. Try doing that today!'
By the 1980s, the glow of television drew audiences home until a slow restoration of the theatre began in 1997. For co-owner Michael Smith, who’s been part of the journey since the late ’90s, his love for cinema has been the driving force to refurbish the theatre.
It’s always been about the love – the love of sharing stories with the local community, celebrating film culture, showing old and new movies, film and digital, small niche favourites and big crowd-pleasers alike.
That spirit has guided the remodelling of the Sun Theatre to fit 8 art deco-style screens with a total of 800 seats. Today, the theatre is more than a place to watch films – it’s a cultural hub, with Q&As, Bambini events and even dog-friendly screenings. The candy bar is stocked (yes, with choc tops) and every detail is part of building a lasting business.
'Put the community benefit and engagement at the heart of your offering and loyal, repeat patronage will drive a healthy business.'
When it comes to daily habits behind long-term success, Michael believes it starts behind the counter, ‘Empathy is the key to business leadership. Build a happy team of empowered staff who look forward to coming to work, and your patrons will enjoy visiting a happy workplace.'
Jimmy Watson's Wine Bar, 90+ years old
Walking into Jimmy Watson's on Lygon Street feels like stepping into a time capsule, with its polished timber, the hum of conversation, and the clink of glasses. Since 1935, this Melbourne mainstay has been a people-magnet, pioneering the simple joy of pairing great wine with great food. Originally an 1890s wine saloon, it was reimagined by Jimmy Watson into a beloved local landmark – a legacy now carried on with pride by his son and grandsons, including Nigel Watson.
So, what’s kept the business thriving for nearly 9 decades? Nigel believes it comes down to values that never go out of style:
Having that passion, honesty, integrity and a dose of good old-fashioned service with a smile and mutual respect keeps people happy and coming back.
Jimmy Watson's isn’t just one of Australia’s oldest family-run wine bars; it’s also home to the prestigious Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the best young red wine at the Melbourne Royal Wine Awards.
‘Of course, it helps to have a well-known and sought-after wine trophy linked to the place, but if you don’t deliver on all of the above, then it really wouldn’t matter.’
For Nigel Watson, the heart of Jimmy Watson’s has always been about welcoming people in, no matter their palate or preconceptions. ‘Even if people were hesitant to try wine, we’ve always had the passion to introduce them to something affordable, tasty, and well-crafted.’
And while the name ‘Jimmy Watson's' has become iconic, there’s a quiet truth behind it:
'Jim Watson didn’t like being called Jimmy. It was Jim or James. That hasn’t stopped pretty much everyone from referring to Jimmy Watson's or being heard calling, ‘See you at Jimmy’s!’
Harry Evans & Sons, 120+ years old
No great Aussie pub or bistro is complete without a pool table. But where do they come from? Since 1895, Harry Evans & Sons has been making billiards, snooker and pool tables right here in Melbourne.
Hailing from London, founder Harry Evans established the family business by buying, selling and restoring billiard tables inspired by his career as a professional billiards player. Now in its fifth generation, the Australian-made legacy continues under Luke Evans.
As a fifth generation small business owner, Luke has brought new skills and design ideas to the business, while building upon their proud family heritage. Grounded in generations of expertise and family pride, Luke carries forward the Evans tradition with the same commitment to quality service that has defined the business for over a century.
'Preserving our family history is probably the largest factor. Then our knowledge of the game and how to produce high-quality products.'
Building a business takes grit. Passing it on takes trust. Harry Evans & Sons has mastered both the craft of building billiards tables as well as handing down a business. For those hoping to hand the reins to the next generation, the process requires trust, mentoring and making space for the next chapter.
Just like a good piece of wood, Luke shaves down their intergenerational success into simple advice. ‘Each generation slowly steps back and helps the transition.’
Since the late 1890s, Harry Evans Snr laid the groundwork for Luke and his family to continue building the Harry Evans & Sons legacy. His advice to small business owners looking to keep their business going long-term is to ‘just keep swimming.’
It’s kind of cliché, but we just enjoy completing a job to the best of our ability and seeing happy customers. At the end of the day, it’s the workplace relationships that make the biggest difference.
Maldon Bakery, 170+ years old
Tucked away between Daylesford and Bendigo is Maldon, a lovingly preserved Australian gold mining town, about an hour and a half drive from Melbourne. This town is home to Australia’s oldest continuously run bakery, serving baked goods since 1854.
While the gold rush has long been gone, Maldon Bakery has endured, sustained by generations of bakers. Now owned by Rebecca Barnett who purchased it in 2022, this relic from the 1850s might just be the only business in town that still sells gold.
Rebecca, who comes from a family of 5 generations of bakers, saw unused potential in an antique Scotch oven that was built to feed hungry goldminers who flocked to the region. By repairing it, she transformed a historical asset into a unique selling point and a living link to the bakery’s legacy.
'To leverage the point of difference for this bakery, which is the fact that it was so old, and it had a beautiful scotch oven that wasn't being used. It needed some love, attention and energy injected into it. I could see the potential to create something fabulous from this rough diamond.'
More than a shopfront, Maldon Bakery is a place where generations have come together over warm bread and community. The bakery is often the first stop for tourists looking to explore the entire region. From sponsoring beloved events like the Maldon Show, Folk Festival, and Golden Movies, to greeting regulars, the bakery plays an active role in shaping community life.
It just goes to show that the business is bigger than you. It’s entrenched in the community and that’s something that is highly valuable and needs a lot of respect and support. Locals support us and we support locals, that's really embedded in the DNA of the business
Taking on the challenge of running a business that’s been around since 1854 is no small feat. However, Rebbeca boils it down (or perhaps bakes it down) to 3 key secrets: ‘lots of energy, heart and soul.’
'Everyone works so hard. You know, in a business like this, a bakery, you have to make things from scratch. I think if you make things with integrity and passion, then you can't go wrong really.'
Rebecca sees her role not just as a business owner, but as a caretaker of something bigger. ‘You’re just looking after it until the next person comes along. It’s not just you and your family; you’re looking after it for future generations – a sort of caretaker.