6 minute read
FEATURE: BASEMENT BAR
Unearthing a hidden gem
A long-forgotten basement, a nod to Melbourne’s past, and Doxa Community Club’s fresh take on a bar – Miss Gunn’s is the newest underground spot beneath Flinders Street Station.
WHEN DOXA COMMUNITY Club’s Clocks at Flinders Street Station in Melbourne underwent renovations in 2017, the vision included a basement bar – a strategic addition to the club’s food and beverage offering. However, sourcing power to the underground level proved more complicated than anticipated, and the idea was shelved. Instead, the space sat idle for years as a storage area for archived documents and beverage stock.
That all changed just over six months ago when the club revisited its long-held plan, deciding the time was finally right to bring its intimate basement bar to life. On 13 February, the group officially opened its doors to Miss Gunn’s.
The name pays homage to Ada May Gunn – better known as Miss Gunn or Dolly – who ran The Loungers’ Club beneath Flinders Street Station in the early 1900s. As one of the building’s original occupants, Miss Gunn was known for her deep connection to the space and her reputation for generosity and hospitality. Her legacy is now woven into the very fabric of the bar.
Rumoured to have once also served as a morgue, the 50-person space has been designed by Studio Nine Architects and built by Basis Group. It blends old-world charm with modern elegance, featuring dim lighting, exposed brickwork, and rich timber accents.
“As you enter, you are surrounded by the original foundations of the 1909 Flinders Street build. The space tells the story of Miss Gunn, transporting you back in time with exposed bluestone and bricks from the original structure,” said Anthony Simioni, chief operating officer of Doxa Community Club.
Simioni added that the decision to launch a basement space wasn’t just about creating a new venue within the club; it was also influenced by Melbourne’s broader hospitality scene.
“[A basement bar] is absolutely a Melbourne thing. Over the last 10 years, basement bars have just taken off in Melbourne, so we jumped on that,” he said.
“We wanted to create an additional space where our members –and of course guests of the CBD, as we are at Flingers Street Station – could break away from the rest of the club and find this hideaway.
“We’re in the CBD, so we’ve got to do what the CBD does.”
Raising the level of aesthetics typically expected at a Melbourne bar was also a key part of the plan.
“You can have a club, but if it still looks like 1992 when you walk in, people aren’t going to enjoy their time,” Simioni said.
“We put a lot of effort into not just the space itself but also what we offer in food, beverage, and gaming. We always aim to bring in the best product as soon as possible so that our members know they can come to our venue, feel comfortable, and eat, drink, and play with the best.”
Miss Gunn’s menu features a selection of small plates, including beef cheek croquettes, buffalo chicken popcorn, oven-baked brie with fig jam, as well as larger selections like steak and frites.
The drinks menu leans heavily on Australian wines, complemented by signature cocktails such as the Miss Gunn – made with gin, Campari, Regal Rogue rose vermouth, and Ravens grape vinegar – and the Loaded Gunn, featuring chilli oil-infused mezcal, Aperol, passionfruit ferment, and lime juice.
Simioni highlighted the food and beverage experience offered downstairs at Miss Gunn’s is also available in other parts of the club.
“You can only get down [to Miss Gunn’s] via stairs, so we didn’t want to provide anything downstairs for those who couldn’t get down there that they couldn’t get upstairs,” he said.
“We never really offered a cheese board before, but now it’s available upstairs too, especially since Miss Gunn’s is only open three days a week. So, if someone comes in on a Wednesday and wants a cheese board, they can still have that with the $4 wine we offer every Wednesday.”
More than just a bar
The addition of the basement bar aligns with the club’s longterm vision to be a one-stop destination for members and guests, with Simioni explaining the bar will likely be a pre- and post-event destination, as well as a private function space.
“It’s been clear for the last seven years what our goal is, and that’s to provide the best food and beverage experience for our members,” Simioni said.
“When people go out now, they want to go to an entertainment venue or destination where they can get everything.
“You have people who will go out to a particular destination, and that’s their one point, and then they’ll move off to a somewhere else – they’ll go to a bar for a drink, or they’ll go somewhere for dinner. They might go to another bar for dessert. What we try and do is create that entertainment destination where you can get everything you need in that one spot.”
Gaming still rules
Despite the club’s strong focus on food and beverage, gaming remains its dominant revenue driver. While exact figures weren’t disclosed, Simioni confirmed that gaming is still the club’s primary income source, even with the recent Victorian curfew on gaming rooms, which mandates closures between 4 am and 10 am.
“We lost close to 30 hours a week in gaming with the new hours, but we’re staying strong in who we are and what we offer,” he said.
“Things are looking good – we recently hit number one as the top venue in the CBD in terms of gaming revenue.”
Beyond its business impact, Miss Gunn’s also contributes to the club’s overarching mission. Revenue generated by Doxa Community Club supports its foundation, which provides education and employment opportunities for disadvantaged young people.
“Our program is to raise as much funds as possible for them. It’s not a standard club system for us where we make as much money as we can; it’s more so the foundation can run as many programs as they can.”
“You look at RSLs and you look at NSW, which is a totally different ball game to us, but as things are developing now, clubs are putting more effort into their food and beverage and environment, and that’s a big part of what we do at Doxa as well. One of our goals, apart from funding our foundation, is having engaging, safe, nice surroundings for our members. We’re constantly developing.”
