Watsonia’s seemingly unquenchable thirst for a wine bar has resulted in yet another possible venue being floated on social media this week. The old dry cleaners on the corner of Watsonia Road and Lambourn Road, which has been empty for quite a while now, is the latest prospective location for the licensed venue, which received in-principle council approval from Councillor Mark Di Pasquale earlier this year.

Situated on the very fringe of Watsonia’s CBD, the building has great potential for a wine bar, especially with its close proximity to our suburb’s thriving food scene, and its sweeping views over the Dandenong Ranges. And with its former use as both a dry cleaners and the local butcher, the site has great naming potential, with early front-runners including “The Meating Place”, “Off the Hook”, and “Let’s Get Shirtfaced”.

Meanwhile, impatient local wine enthusiasts say they’d accept a venue opening up just about anywhere after years of waiting for somewhere in Watsonia to grapple with the grape. One anonymous drinker said, “Remember when youse wrote that article about a wine bar opening on that roundabout just out of the CBD? I legit would’ve drunk at that place. The couch looked comfy, and the people-watching opportunities would’ve been mint as. Seriously, I’d take anywhere right now. Build it and they will come!”

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