Successful Bay eateries up for grabs

La Mexica

Popular Tauranga restaurants La Mexica, Macau, Nautilus, Ivory Lounge and The Drawing Room are among more than 30 local eateries up for sale despite the hospitality sector enjoying a busy summer.

Bay of Plenty Hospitality Association president and bar owner Clayton Mitchell said he had not noticed anymore businesses up for sale than usual at this time of year.

"You get through summer and people want to minimise any potential damage during winter which can be tough," he said.

"We've traded through this summer better than any other and it seems to be holding."

He put Ivory Lounge, one of his two Mount Maunganui bars, on the market after being elected for council late last year so he could focus on his family and his new role.

A total of 240 businesses were yesterday listed on Trade Me in Tauranga and the Western Bay.

A Trade Me spokesman said the total number of business listings in the Bay of Plenty dipped by 4 per cent in 2013 compared to 2012.

Of the businesses listed last year, 22 per cent were in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Link Business Brokers Bay of Plenty co-owner Steven Matthews said the figures were not surprising as his staff handled about 160 listings in the Bay of Plenty at any one time and of those about 30 were in the hospitality sector.

There had not been a noticeable increase in listings but he expected it would rise in the next few years as baby boomers retired and sold their businesses. La Mexica owner Matt Hayward said his restaurant on The Strand had been on the market on and off for a couple of years as he wanted to focus on his Mount Maunganui bar.

Tauranga eateries had to compete with each other and had to contend with out-of-town events such as the Bruce Springsteen concert, he said.

Macau, another restaurant on The Strand, was also up for sale despite opening late last year. Real estate agent Rob Pinny said the developer who owned the site had set the business up with a view to selling it.

It was trading well and buyers had the option of leaving the current management in place, he said.

Nautilus Restaurant and Espresso Bar manager Maurice Mourali said business had been good but the owner wanted to sell as he was planning to move out of town.

Mount Maunganui's Satori Lounge was also listed for sale on Trade Me but co-owner Lisa Wilson had recently decided against selling in favour of buying her former partner out.