A NEW retail complex has just been completed in the main street of Pottsville and is shaping up to be a vibrant addition to the village centre.
Owners of the building, George and Di Macdonald live in Brisbane and first visited Pottsville for a holiday in 1982.
“We loved it so much and have been coming for holidays ever since,” George said.
Son Daniel set up Pottsville Physiotherapy with his wife Melissa when they moved to the area in 2006 and subsequently opened Cabarita Beach Physiotherapy and a Pilates studio at TriCare Hastings Point.
Their flourishing practises quickly outgrew the premises and when the property on the corner of Coronation Drive and Elizabeth Street came on the market George and Daniel both had the idea that it might be a great spot to relocate the businesses to.
George and Daniel discussed it one day and Melissa said that when they got home from work that night George had already signed the contract.
“We basically put our whole retirement into this and to be viable we had to have more than just the physio,” George said.
“It was designed by Mayhill Planning & Architecture and they have been terrific. I went with Steven and Michael after seeing (and being highly impressed with) some examples of their work, and the outcome has exceeded our expectations, as has the standard of construction and finish by GCB Builders.
“I wanted a soft finish with plenty of light and a relaxed, beachy feel and they have achieved that.”
Daniel and Melissa wanted a loft-like physio and Pilates space with exposed timber beams
“I wanted a beautiful workout space that was something boutique,” Melissa said.
The rebranded Loft Pilates studio is open and airy with high wooden rafters in the style of the Pilates lofts in New York that had impressed her so much during the years that she and Daniel spent travelling the world.
“When we outgrew our other physio and Pilates spaces we decided we wanted it all under one roof,” Melissa said.
“We see it as a massive opening for fitness Pilates and we will also have a focus on clinical Pilates.
“We have five new instructors and 29 classes and it’s basically a whole new business.”
The building consists of three apartments, four shops – two of which are being turned into a restaurant – and the Pilates and physiotherapy rooms as well as parking.
George wanted to have a green space along the Coronation Drive side of the building but it wasn’t permitted.
“Despite some initial concerns regarding the size of the building, hopefully when everything is open people will appreciate the work that has gone into making it a beautiful place to visit.”
Until he retired George ran an embroidery business that his father started in Brisbane in 1934 while Di worked as a nurse.
“I’d finish nursing and go to work with George on the embroidery,” Di told The Weekly.
“We’ve been married for 46 years and we’ve always worked together.,” George said.
“We’ve always been a good team.”
“They have worked really hard their whole lives and this building is the product of that,” Daniel said.