Changing of the guard at Orange Cellars George Eleftheriou says farewell after 23 years in the local liquor game

For more than two decades, George Eleftheriou has been the friendly face behind the counter of local drive-through bottle shop Orange Cellars. But after 23 years in the game, George has decided it’s time to move on from the popular “bottle-o”.

“I think the time was right, time for a change,” George said, who will be moving on to a role with equipment finance broking firm Finlease.

“A friend of mine was chatting and he was looking for someone to put on, and he said if I knew anyone to let him know. I had a listen and thought, that sounds pretty good, I could have a crack at that.

“It's nerve-wracking, but exciting too, so we'll see how it goes,” George said of the vocational change. Apart from a brief stint working for Daquino’s, George has spent his whole working life at the bottle shop attached to the historic Carriers Arms Hotel (formerly Kelly’s Rugby Hotel) on the corner of Lords Place and Moulder Streets.

There is much he will miss about the business he has overseen for so long, George said.

“Yeah lots of things, customers in particular, there are just a lot of faces... a lot of people I've met through here, it's been great,” he said.

But with winter just around the corner, George is not too upset to be trading the drive-through counter for a cosy office.

“Someone actually mentioned that to me and I thought that's probably the last thing I'm going to miss! That cold breeze when the cool room is warmer!

“But I'll keep in touch still, I’m pretty sure… I might even shop here,” he added with a smile.

Taking over from George at Orange Cellar is another face well-known to locals; Michael Brady, formerly of the Robin Hood Hotel bottle shop.

Like George, Michael has been in the local liquor industry his whole working life, most recently in Bathurst where he was running the Cobb & Co Cellars at the Oxford Hotel.

“George and I have known each other for 20 years, we've always got on really well and continue to do so,” Michael said.

“I'm looking forward to taking over the reins from him. George has always run a great show, he's great with people, and his customer service — he's all over it.  

“I just need to continue on with what he's been doing, pick up the ball and run with it and move forward, keep up the great specials and great variety that Orange Cellars has become renowned for.”

Orange Cellars owner and Ophir Hotel publican, Tim Ireson, said George will be sorely missed.

“It has been a pleasure to work alongside George, his knowledge and passion for what he did was really strong,” Tim said. 

“He built a great team there at the bottle shop that really respected him and had such a loyal customer base, he's just going to be really missed… and we’re very, very fortunate to have Michael Brady to come on board, who is good friends with George, and he himself has great knowledge and experience in the industry.”

George will be finishing up at Orange Cellars this Sunday and Tim encouraged people to say thanks and farewell to him as he moves on from the business.

“This is going to be his last week, he's doing a bit of a handover with Michael Brady, and so if you can come down this week and see him on his last day and say g'day, I think he'd be really appreciative,” Tim said.

“We wish him all the best in his endeavours, but, you know, whatever he puts his mind to, we're sure that he will do really well.”