The best bits of Queanbeyan and surrounds.

Nic’s Convenience Store has had an unbelievable transformation, and it could be yours

Nic’s Convenience Store has had an unbelievable transformation, and it could be yours

It was the place to go for a bag of mixed lollies and a Bubble-o-Bill for decades: now one lucky family will be able to say they live inside Nic’s Convenience Store.

The former corner store on Morton Street, Queanbeyan, has had an incredible transformation into a two-bedroom, two-bathroom home, with a brand new double garage added and a stunning modern colour palette throughout.

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Nic’s was purchased by the Marquez family in 2022. Original owner Nic Manikis — a man who lived inside the hearts of every kid who grew up in West Queanbeyan — sadly passed away in 2019.

The transformation of the shop is gobsmacking: the former grocery area is now a lounge room, the wall up the back once lined with refrigerators is now the home’s kitchen, and the spot where Nic stood serving customers for all those years is now the main bedroom’s walk-in-wardrobe.

Residents of West Queanbeyan have been intrigued by the transformation of the Morton Street property over the past two years, and when the home finally opens for inspection, sales agent Jon Stumbles is expecting “huge numbers”.

“People have been walking up to the builders when they’re on site asking where it’s up to,” Jon says.

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“The family was considering keeping it and renting it out, but they’ve decided to sell.”

Given the two-bedroom home is brand new but located in a heritage area – and comes with so much nostalgia – Jon says it’s difficult to price.

“That’s one of the positives of going to auction,” he says.

“We’re letting the marketplace determine what they feel is the price. 

“Obviously, the owners have an expectation or a wish that they want to work with. But there’s no comparables out there. There’s no brand new homes or developments in the immediate area that we could say, this is a direct comparable.

“So the market’s obviously going to determine where it sits at the end of the day.”

It will most likely sell to “downsizers”, Jon says, maybe a couple who raised their kids in West Queanbeyan in a big house and now want a smaller, modern property (all on one level) to retire to.

Whoever buys it will own a treasured piece of Queanbeyan’s past.

Nic’s Convenience Store opened on Morton Street in the 1970s and was a shopping destination of choice for the families of West Queanbeyan. 

The shop offered fresh fruit and vegetables and deli meats, but most importantly, mixed bags of lollies and shelves full of videos for hire.

Nic’s was a welcome stop on Morton Street while walking home up the hill from the Queanbeyan Swimming Pool.

‘Nic’s on Morton Street’, located at 2/34a Morton Street, will be auctioned in late July.

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About the Author: Bree Element

Part bogan, part wannabe plus-size model and part journalist, Bree's the woman behind Q! News. She's a pop culture obsessive who's deeply in love with her hometown, Queanbeyan, and the neighbouring capital. A born storyteller, she's been writing locally, nationally and internationally for more than 25 years.