Nic's Convenience Store site in Queanbeyan now a light-filled home

For many decades, a visit to 34a Morton Street in Queanbeyan has been synonymous with grabbing the daily newspaper, a carton of milk or treating yourself to a bag of lollies.

Since the mid-1970s, Nic’s Convenience Store has stood on the block, and the property’s history as a ‘corner store’ dates back even further. Nic’s, in particular, was a much-loved go-to for locals until owner Nic Manikis passed away suddenly in 2019, after which the Manikis family decided to close the store and put the block on the market.

It was given a new life when long-time Queanbeyan residents Manuel and Julie Marquez bought it in 2020.

The couple weren’t entirely certain of their plans for the property at first. With their own experience running small businesses, they considered continuing to operate the venue as a store but could also see a unique opportunity in reimagining it as a home.

“It’s 105 square metres in size so at the time we thought it might be more [suited] as a house than as a shop,” says Manuel.

They set about converting the block’s zoning from commercial to residential, which Manuel said the local council fully supported.

Next, they turned their attention to redesigning the beloved corner store and turning it into a stunning, fully renovated, modern home.

The couple engaged a friend who designed the layout, making the most of the existing three-metre ceilings. They kept with the idea of embracing what space they had to work with rather than packing too much in.

“We decided to turn it into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom residential property,” says Manuel. “It’s a little bit more spacious this way rather than squashing in a third bedroom.”

They’ve taken their time with the property’s transformation, finishing the renovations only last month. And the transformation was significant.

The external walls of the property are all original, preserving the building’s heritage, except the garage, which has been expanded from a single to a double to allow additional secure car parking.

But everything else is brand-new, including the roof, ceiling, windows, internal walls, plumbing, plus some of the windows and the front door.

Thanks to ample windows, the result is a cosy, light-filled home. The north-facing aspect ensures the morning sun streams into the living room and master bedroom on cool winter mornings.

The designer kitchen includes stone benchtops, built-in appliances and a generous walk-in pantry. Alongside it is a small bar area with space for wine storage.

The main bedroom boasts a dreamy walk-in wardrobe and a modern en suite. Since creating ample storage throughout the whole home was also a priority in the design, even the living room contains additional built-in, hidden storage space.

Other notable features include double-glazed windows, ducted reverse-cycle air-conditioning, and a study nook.

The couple – who envisaged a home with easy living in mind, including a low-maintenance garden – believe the turn-key property is perfectly suited to a young couple or someone who is downsizing.

“And it’s close to downtown. It’s walking distance to the swimming pool and all the supermarkets and shops and the Queanbeyan Park,” he says.

While the home’s interior is now completely unrecognisable from what came before, you can still make out the old Nic’s from the front facade. This means this popular part of Queanbeyan nostalgia gets to live on, just under new custodians writing a bit of a different chapter.

Not that any locals are likely to forget the property’s origins. Julie herself lived around the corner as a kid and remembers regularly popping to the store that ran in the same spot before Nic’s.

“There are a lot of memories for people my age who are in their 60s who went after school and spent their pocket money,” she says. “We used to get our papers and milk or sweets and ice creams after school.”

Manuel reveals that plenty of other locals are always keen to share their memories with them.

“When we were working outside, people would always stop by to have a chat and so on. So, the place has got a lot of memories. Half the time, we couldn’t get a lot of work done because of it,” Manuel says, laughing.

The property will go to auction on July 27.

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