Nightclub matriarch to sell 500sqm penthouse
Marion Tropeano, grandmother and matriarch of the family behind several of Adelaide’s best-known nightclubs, is reluctantly selling her five-bedroom Victoria Square penthouse.
Marion – who co-owns Hindley Street nightclubs including The Palace – is making the tough decision to downsize from the large penthouse.
“I love living in the middle of the city, especially being right in front of Victoria Square,” Marion, 68, says.
“The view is stunning, and I’ve watched the city change over the years. We’ve got a few more buildings around, and at nighttime I see the lights twinkling in the Hills.
“It’s a hard decision to sell, but I know it’s a move I need to do now.”
The first point of interest is a limited-edition Harley-Davidson which greets visitors in the foyer of the 11th floor.
As Marion explains, the motorcycle – belonging to her ex-husband, lawyer and businessman Tony Tropeano – had to be craned in through a door on the top floor.
“Every house we’ve lived in, the Harley has sat at the front entrance as an ornament,” Marion explains.
Marion’s apartment was previously office space occupied by Tony’s law practice. In 2000, the legal firm was wound back, and the couple converted the entire floor into one large apartment.
It is the only residential floor in the building.
“Our kids had grown up by then and I really wanted to live in the city,” Marion explains.
You might like
“So, we converted this office space into an apartment, and I’ve been here ever since. Twenty-six years have gone by so quickly.
“Tony and I are good friends now. I’ve been alone here now for 16 years, and my life has become so full of grandchildren and travel.”
For Marion, the apartment never felt too big, with her family often visiting.
“We have held lots of big family gatherings here. All eight of my grandchildren would come and sleep over, and we’d just have enough room for everyone.”
While mostly retired, Marion is a business partner to her son Antony who runs the nightclub and entertainment businesses.
“He runs the businesses and does a fantastic job,” Marion says.
“I don’t know anything about running a nightclub, but I do still go to all the meetings.”
The apartment is believed to be the only private residence that directly overlooks Victoria Square.
“There’s no garden so it’s so easy to just lock up and go. I feel safe here – safer than in a traditional house,” Marion says.
The apartment’s living and dining spaces feature rich French oak flooring, with a spacious kitchen appointed with four ovens and an oversized butler’s pantry.
The master suite is complete with an expansive walk-in robe and a spa ensuite.
“I see everything that goes on when there’s Tasting Australia, the big Christmas tree is built right in front, and the other big festivals are right here at my front doorstep,” Marion says.
“On Sundays, I hear the church bells from the [Saint Francis Xavier’s] cathedral.”
Subscribe for updates
A cinema room has been converted into self-contained accommodation which Marion now operates as a popular Airbnb.
“After the kids moved out, I thought, ‘What am I going to do with this room?’ So, I turned it into an Airbnb, and it pays for all my expenses, and I get to meet people from all over the world.
“The next owner could keep the Airbnb going, or they could turn it into something else.”
For Marion, the property has provided a nostalgic link to her childhood when she would travel to Germany to visit her grandparents, whose apartment overlooked a main street in Krefeld.
“I spent so much time in the bay window of their lounge room, just looking at the street and seeing people walking around, and going into shops and the train station, and I just absolutely loved it,” Marion says.
“My grandma would send me down to buy fresh bread rolls and cheese for breakfast. I just absolutely loved city life.
“Even as a little girl, I loved that vibe of looking out and seeing people, having the tram go past, and I’ve still got a tram going past here on Victoria Square.”
Marion says city living has kept her feeling youthful – from walking to the nearby Adelaide Central Market to do her shopping, to catching the tram to Glenelg.
“I hardly ever use my car because I walk everywhere in the city.”
She would love to continue living here but has decided it is the perfect time to downsize and has purchased a smaller apartment.
“I’m still very fit, I walk two hours every morning, I go to the gym, I do all of that. But I want to be settled into a smaller apartment by my 70s,” she says.
Having made many family memories of the past 26 years, Marion is finding it difficult to come to terms with the sale.
“When I signed the contract for my next apartment, I cried because I love this apartment so much.
“It is a hard decision, and all I know is that when I leave, I’ll need a box of tissues.”
Marion hopes the next owner will enjoy it as much as she has.
The sale is being handled by Victor Velgush and Ian Jesse of Refined Real Estate with viewing by appointment only.
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.