‘A hard decision to make’: East end wine bar up for sale
A popular east end business is up for sale, with its owners saying now is “an appropriate time to step out”.
Mother Vine, the east end wine bar with an emphasis on South Australian and French varieties, is up for sale.
Michael Andrewartha, who founded East End Cellars, was one of the original founders of Mother Vine when it opened in 2014. He and a few key team members bought out the other original partners in 2022. This included Mathieu Smeysters, Olivia Gorman, operations director, Lizzy Shannon, marketing manager, a staff member who has since left the business, and Andrew Nunn, an external investor.
Mathieu says “it was a hard decision to make”, but it’s “mainly driven by Michael wanting to slow down as he’s getting closer to retirement”.
“The intent is to pass on East End Cellars to his kids, but Mother Vine doesn’t fit into this plan,” he tells CityMag.
“Andrew found it an appropriate time to step out, as he’s considering new pursuits. Both Olivia and I are heavily involved in Station Road and the soon-to-be-opened, rebranded Norwood venue, and unfortunately, can’t stretch ourselves any further.
“We found it a better idea to sell the business than to try to find a few new business partners with whom we are less familiar. It’s a good time to pass on the baton.”
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When we spoke to Mathieu about Station Road’s new temporary offering, Bistro, he told us the first eight months of the restaurant have been “good, but rocky”, which he said reflects the current economic climate.
We asked whether this influenced the team’s decision to sell Mother Vine, but Mathieu says “both are unrelated”.
“I think it’s undeniable that the last 12 months were the hardest time ever to open a new venue, but Mother Vine benefits from a very faithful, regular clientele,” he says.
“As I’m sure potential buyers will notice looking at our figures, it’s a venue that far outperforms its size, being in arguably Adelaide’s most desirable hospitality precinct and in particular across East End Cellars.
“Station Road sits in an up-and-coming area, and it’s a long-term project.”
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Mathieu also says the cost-of-living crisis and patrons spending less on dining, as a result, doesn’t have anything to do with the team’s decision to sell.
“Mother Vine is an outlier here as it’s always relatively steady,” he says.
“We’ve of course seen a slight decrease in the last financial year but it’s minimal.
“July has actually been very good for us, so it might be indicative that things are on the mend.”
The team is currently looking for new owners to take over the business, and they “want to ensure that whoever comes forward to purchase the venue fits into the wider Vardon Avenue hospitality offering and will contribute to continuing to make the east end a destination”.
“We’ll scrutinise each applicant very closely; it’s important we find the right operator,” he says.
“East End Cellars is not going anywhere, and anyone who becomes our neighbour will benefit from what Michael has built over 25 plus years.”
Mathieu says he hopes to find “someone that is willing to continue the Mother Vine brand and do us proud”.
“Mother Vine was personally my first venue in South Australia, and it’s still very close to my heart,” he says.
“It has an awesome team and, in my opinion, the most underrated food offering in Adelaide. David, the head chef, is an absolute legend. He hopes to continue on with the new owner.
“I’ll miss the craziness of Fringe and the famous Vardon Street parties, and all the other awesome events in the east end we’ve always benefited from.”
Mother Vine’s current five-year lease runs to 23 July 2026 and includes two further five-year lease terms. Current rental is $143,772 per annum plus GST, and current outgoings $25,272 per annum plus GST.
Mother Vine is located at 22/26 Vardon Avenue, Adelaide. Connect with the business on Instagram for more.
