Croatian Club Flourishing After Rebrand and Relocation

“I told them that the Club was established in 1951 to suit their needs at the time, but this is the modern era and if we don’t move with the times for the sake of your children and grandchildren then we’ll lose everything,” says Club President Michael Mijo Rimac.

“There was a little bit of pushback, but the vast majority grabbed it with both hands and supported it — they could see that young people weren’t coming to the Club and there needed to be a change of strategy.”

It set in motion a dramatic overhaul of the Club to the tune of more than $25 million, including a brand-new location, facilities and a change of name.

The members agreed to sell the ageing premises in Punchbowl — its home since 1983 — and purchase new land on what was the site of the old Concord RSL Club.

To appeal to a wider market, the Croatian Club became The Concord Community Club, with a real focus on being family friendly.

“The success has taken us by surprise, it’s surpassed all expectations with our forecasts,” says Michael.

“We’ve grown from 2000 members at Punchbowl to 11,000 at Concord since our grand opening in June last year.

“Group bookings, particularly from families, on weekends and even during the week has been phenomenal.”

And it’s easy to see why, with activities for the kids including jumping castles, an eight-metre-tall play gym tower and a grass field where young ones can run around and kick a football, while the parents watch close by with a drink and a meal.

Inside, there’s a sports bar and lounge area, plus a main bistro and bar, with a large glass skylight a real visual highlight.

The function room can hold 350 to 400 people and has already held various events such as corporate days and weddings.

There’s a large al fresco outside area which has become one of the most popular areas of the Club, with an adjacent courtyard featuring an external stage and amphitheatre.

The biggest drawcard of The Concord is the food and beverage, with hatted chef Tomislav Martinovic — best known from his time on Masterchef — engaged to establish the initial menu.

“Fifty per cent of our food comes from the state-of-the-art pizza oven which has volcanic rock flavouring, while the other 50 per cent comes from the kitchen,” says Michael.

Of the pizzas and kitchen, 40 per cent of the menu is Croatian inspired, while 60 per cent is traditional fare.

“We wanted restaurant-quality food, and I reckon we’d be one of the top five pizza destinations in Sydney with the feedback we’re getting,” says Michael.

“Tomislav will also come back on a regular basis to keep the flavours up and tweak the menu based on patron feedback. With 4000 covers per week, we want to keep up the consistency.”

The Club’s also staying true to its roots, with monthly ‘festa weekends’, showcasing Croatian culture through market stalls, traditional dancing and food specials such as pig on a spit.

And there’s plenty more in the pipeline for the new and invigorated Club, with plans including a timber deck and fire pit, while patrons are also pushing for an increase to trading hours.

“We set out on this journey not wanting to lose our identity while also ensuring we’re welcoming to all in the community,” says Michael.

“I think we’ve achieved that — in fact we’ve surpassed expectations. We’re very happy.”