Sacred Sites

In the shadows of the high-rise apartment buildings down the southern end of City Road is a stunning building that is now home to a costume shop.

The shop facade, at 235-239 City Rd was built in 1903 and is heritage listed because of its classical revival architectural style.

The building started its life in the same way many did in the South Melbourne region in those days, as a pub and hotel.

The site had a pub on it from as early as 1869, but Emily and James Rubina erected the current building.

When it was built, it was considered a feature of the south bank of the Yarra River.

It operated as a hotel until 1926, when it was de-licensed because the Licences Reduction Board felt not every building in South Melbourne needed to be a pub.

Bloody bureaucrats!