In 2022, milk bar culture – which reached its zenith in the ’70s and ’80s – is more nostalgia than reality in Sydney, with many local milk bars replaced over the years with convenience stores, cafes and supermarkets, or simply turned into houses or apartments. But there are a few exceptions – including Watsons Bay Milk Bar. Housed in a heritage building dating back to 1910, it’s been serving locals since 1961.

It’s a wet Wednesday morning when Broadsheet visits Watsons Bay Milk Bar, and it’s abuzz with locals and the aroma of fresh espresso. The barista greets an elderly man by name as he pays for two boxes of Twinings tea. A tradie beelines straight towards the carved wooden counter to order his schnitzel roll to go, while a lady searches for milk in the fridge. Moments later, a woman and her curly-haired dog confidently stroll in to browse the grocery shelves.

Outside, four men are sipping espressos on a table and staying out of the rain. “I’ve been coming here since I was six years old to buy lollies,” one of them proudly tells Broadsheet. “We come here at least five times a week to catch up,” another announces.

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Watsons Bay Milk Bar is a symbol of community for the 850 inhabitants of Watsons Bay, a relatively quiet village in Sydney’s east. When Georgina Brujic purchased the business in 2021, the milk bar had lost some of its vitality due to the pandemic. Still, it was a balm for locals stuck within the area, who could still visit their regular spot for coffee, hot food and groceries.

“Business is tough around here, so everything you do is for the locals,” Brujic tells Broadsheet. “I’m really fortunate to have the staff here. They have been working here for a very long time. They know everybody’s name and coffee. What I love most about the milk bar scene is the sense of community.”

Even though Brujic’s parents owned a milk bar during her childhood, it was the building’s history and the community spirit of Watsons Bay that drove her decision to take over one herself.

“We didn’t change much of the interior, aside from rearranging the candy bars and fridges,” she says. Traces of the past can be felt as soon as you step into the store. Worn metal signs, vintage toys, and newspaper and magazine clippings adorn the raw wooden walls. The heavy, carved wooden counter is the heart of the milk bar, where coffees, treats and chit-chat are exchanged. Polaroid pictures of customers are stuck along the edges of the bread shelves. A retro milkshake mixer displays what flavours are available. The intricate and rustic wooden entrance doors are carved with the names of the previous owners, Con and Olga.

“I kept their names on the doors – why not? It’s part of the story of this milk bar,” says Brujic.

The products that line the fridges and shelves are a marriage of classic and artisanal. One could come in for a Coca-Cola but walk away with a Sanpellegrino. The usual grocery suspects – Jatz, White Wings flour and Masterfoods tomato sauce – can be found alongside artisanal gelatos, pastas and specialty condiments that would rival any new-wave deli.

A neon sign reading “Candy Bar” radiates pink over shelves lined with Skittles, Push Pops, Hubba Bubba and Allen’s lollies.

“I love it when the children come in the afternoon, they start counting their coins to see how many lollies they could buy,” says Brujic. “It’s their little place to come. And when parents are waiting for their children to finish their art class [nearby], they could come and wait for them at the milk bar.

“There’s a beautiful man who has dementia and gets lost a lot but he comes to the milk bar so his family knows where to look for him if he’s gone. This is what I love about it, it’s a safe haven [where] everyone in the community knows they could come. That to me is the true definition of an old-fashioned milk bar.”

The shop will be getting a major refurbishment in September, with a vision to expand downstairs. The structure’s original sandstone walls leading to the basement will be maintained.

“A lot of elderly people live in the area so I’m going to add better amenities to make things easier for them,” says Brujic. They’ll also add a live-in space for Brujic and her husband to call home. “It is such a lovely place for us to retire and have a home where we could live and run a business at the same time.”

Even with plans to revitalise and add more spark to the business, Brujic has no intention of turning her milk bar into a cafe or dine-in venue. “I don’t want to change the feel of the place and still want to stay true to the community. I haven’t determined what the space downstairs is going to be – perhaps I could expand the general store element while also offering it as a space to host backgammon nights for the elderly. Not everybody wants to go to a pub as an outing.”

At the end of the day, what the shop is selling isn’t what matters. It’s the sense of community it brings to a small Sydney suburb in a world hurtling ever-onward.

Watsons Bay Milk Bar
10 Military Road, Watsons Bay

Hours:
Daily 6am–6pm

@watsonsbaymilkbar