Comino's Arcade, Redcliffe — the Greek Immigrant Who Built a Lasting Legacy
Behind the familiar shopfronts of Comino's Arcade at 133–137 Redcliffe Parade is a remarkable story of Greek migration, family enterprise, wartime determination and the changing face of Queensland's seaside tourism.
The story begins with Athanasi (Arthur) Stavrou Comino, born on the Greek island of Kythera in 1880. Arthur came to Australia in 1903 and initially worked in the cane fields around Childers. He later returned to Greece, where he took part in the Balkan War of 1912–1914.
In 1919, Arthur married Marigoula, known as Mary, in Greece. The couple returned to Australia in 1921 with their infant daughter. They settled in Laidley, where they operated the Central Café, a business that also included a fruit shop, ice-cream and milk bar. Together, Arthur and Mary raised four children.
A FIRE THAT CHANGED THE PLANS
Arthur recognised an opportunity in Redcliffe and acquired the Moreton Vista Guest House property in 1938. The site included the boarding house and adjoining shops.
Then, on the morning of 26 June 1941, disaster struck. A fire destroyed Moreton Vista, the neighbouring Embassy fish shop and two other shops.
Arthur decided to pursue something far more ambitious than simply rebuilding what had been lost.
Architects G. Meek and Shaw prepared plans for a substantial new development. Interestingly, an early design drawing carried the proposed name Lockyer Private Hotel, possibly reflecting Arthur's earlier business connections in Laidley, although that connection has not been conclusively established.
Wartime building restrictions complicated the project, but permission to proceed was obtained. Construction began in 1942, and the shops were completed in 1944. Arthur, whose family were traditionally stonemasons, personally supervised the work and undertook a substantial amount of the building himself.
A BUILDING WITH MANY PURPOSES
Originally known as the Acropolis Building, the three-storey brick and reinforced-concrete structure was much more than a shopping arcade.
It brought together shops, a café, serviced accommodation, the Comino family residence and a ballroom. The upper floors provided accommodation for visitors, while the ballroom offered a place for dancing and social gatherings.
The building's original terrazzo and ceramic-tile floors, along with its distinctive architectural details, are important parts of its heritage value. Its design also reflected modern architectural ideas that were becoming increasingly influential in the post-war years.
The original architectural concept was even more ambitious. Drawings showed porthole-style windows, a glass-covered arcade and a tower resembling the flying bridge of a ship. Some of these features were changed or omitted during construction.
FROM BALLROOM TO NIGHTCLUB
The building soon became part of Redcliffe's social life. Its café attracted military personnel during the Second World War, when the peninsula was an important rest and recreation destination.
In December 1946, the Ace of Clubs opened in the ballroom. Queensland's heritage history identifies it as Redcliffe's first nightclub. The venue was later associated with the Panorama Dance Palais, which advertised dances, weddings and private functions.
Tragically, Arthur did not live to see the full development of his project. He died in December 1949 following a fall while working on the building. Mary and the family continued the enterprise.
In 1968, the arcade was extended through to Sutton Street, creating the larger shopping complex familiar to generations of Redcliffe residents.
COMINO'S ARCADE TODAY
Today, Comino's Arcade remains part of Redcliffe's working town centre, with retail and hospitality businesses occupying its shops. Its modern role continues a tradition established by Arthur and Mary: bringing shopping, food and social activity together under one roof.
Although the arcade has changed over the decades, its connection with Redcliffe's commercial and social life continues.
On 6 March 2009, the original building was entered in the Queensland Heritage Register (Place ID 602692). Its significance lies not simply in its architecture, but in what it tells us about Greek-Australian enterprise, Queensland's hospitality industry and Redcliffe's development as a seaside resort.
From a Greek immigrant's early years in Australia to a landmark built through determination and hard work, Comino's Arcade is a remarkable part of Redcliffe's story.
A family business, a community meeting place and a legacy that is still standing.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
• Queensland Government – Queensland Heritage Register, Comino's Arcade (Place ID 602692): https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/heritage-register/results/?page=72&q=Brisbane&sort=relevance
• City of Moreton Bay – Redcliffe Esplanade Walk Trail, including family oral history: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/455a3f2c1aca446eb1d6a1be0928b8c8
• Moreton Daily – Peninsula's Past: How Shopping Arcade Mecca Was Born (8 September 2025): https://www.moretondaily.com.au/news/peninsulas-past-how-shopping-arcade-mecca-was-born/
• Margaret Harding – The History Behind the Comino Arcade, History Queensland, October 2025, p.13: https://www.historyqueensland.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/HQ-Newsletter-Vol-12-no-3-October-2025.pdf
• Moreton Daily – Tea the Key at New Sip Club (19 August 2026): https://www.moretondaily.com.au/news/tea-the-key-at-new-sip-club/
B&W Images - With thanks to Moreton bay library services
