Popular Maleny restaurant for sale as owners eye retirement

ONE of the Sunshine Coast's longest-running and best known restaurants is up for sale.

After 23 years, Craig and Pauline Mitchell have decided to sell The Terrace Seafood Restaurant at Maleny to retire.

The couple bought the part-finished restaurant in 1992 and built it up to become an award-winning restaurant.

The Terrace won three Queensland Tourism Best Restaurant awards and the Australian Tourism Best Restaurant Award in 2000.

Since taking it back over in 2010, they have worked hard to re-establish its reputation as one of the region's premier seafood restaurants.

"We've made the restaurant a destination," Mr Mitchell said.

"It's funny, I think we actually attract as many people driving from Brisbane as we do from the Sunshine Coast."

The restaurant is for sale through Savvy Business Sales.

Mr Mitchell said he and his wife would miss some of their most loyal customers.

"A lot of our customers have been coming since 1992 and a lot are pretty proud to say, 'I've been here as long as you've been here'," he said.

Mr Mitchell put The Terrace's longevity down to going "beyond the norm" to provide satisfaction.

"It's about looking after people.

"A, if you look after your staff, you have a happy staff that want to go to work and enjoy their environment, and B, you make your customers very happy that they want to return. It's not just good food or good service - it's the whole package."

He said the Terrace went against a supposed trend away from "white table cloths" to casual dining.

"We're just the opposite...We're not necessarily white table cloths, but we want to be special, somewhere people can go for special occasions." Mr Mitchell and his wife plan to use their retirement to make the most of a big boat that has not been getting enough use parked out the back of their Buddina home.

Source:  Sunshine Coast Daily - 11th June 2015