Thai restaurant for sale may serve the secret to a successful business

The iconic Secret Thai Garden restaurant has been put up for sale by its owners who built the business into a successful South Auckland eatery with a loyal corporate, private and sometimes celebrity clientele.

Often booked out, the 80-seat restaurant in Station Road has a significant income from corporate bookings, especially for staff functions in the lead-up to Christmas, says Bayleys Manukau’s Fleur Board. “But throughout the year it is often necessary to book ahead to get a table.”

The Secret Thai Garden Business was visualised only six years ago and built by the owners Nobby Clark, a former NZ Navy diver and international oil rig worker who spent many years living in Thailand, and his Thai wife Tommy.

“Their formula has been simple - great food, a truly unique setting and good service at a reasonable price. This has been recognised by Secret Thai Garden’s listing in Metro Magazine’s 2008 Top 50 Asian and Top 5 Thai restaurants,” says Miss Board.

The property comprises 766m² of land with an original 1930s weatherboard bungalow. The Clarks have progressively altered and added to the property to create a unique, fully licensed Thai restaurant.

The bungalow has been renovated to incorporate a a commercial kitchen, two bedrooms, a lounge, open plan kitchen/dining area, bathroom, office and laundry, predominantly used by the Clarks as their living area. The original garage has been professionally converted into a bar and WC facilities for patrons.

“The remaining land to the rear of the property has been beautifully landscaped with both large and intimate heated dining areas, interspersed with walkways, tropical gardens and water features which are further enhanced by evening mood lighting,” says Miss Board.

Combined with the tropical garden setting, which includes several 70-year-old Phoenix Palm Trees, features of the restaurant include detailed Teak furniture, Sawadee (statues) and other Thai chattels which the Clarks travelled to Chiang Mai in Thailand to select and transported to New Zealand in two shipping containers.
To date the business has operated only for dinner six days a week, but a new owner could include lunches if they wanted to increase turnover further. Staff employed include two full-time chefs, who are Thai nationals, three waiting staff and a part-time bar manager plus the owners.

Miss Board says the Clarks have run a very successful operation to date but are looking to divest themselves of the property and the business because they have young children and want to concentrate on their family, rather than running a demanding business.

“Since its inception, the business has experienced significant year-on-year growth in both sales and profitability but they feel the time is right to hand it on to someone else to run and are willing to answer any questions people may have about it,” she adds.

They have put the business on the market with a variety of options available.

“It can be bought as a freehold going concern, continuing the very good reputation it has built up over the past few years, or if someone wants to buy it as an investment they are prepared to sell the land and buildings with a lease back to the restaurant business.

“They are also prepared to sell the business only, or the land and buildings with vacant possession.”
Accordingly the Secret Thai Garden is up for sale by tender, closing June 25, which enables anyone who is interested to tender for all or part of the package.
“Personally I feel it would be a shame to see the business discontinued, because the Secret Thai Garden has become an iconic and very successful restaurant in South Auckland and it has an Auckland City Council ‘A’ Grade Food Hygiene Certificate of Registration to boot.

“The restaurant lends itself to a number of ethnic cuisine possibilities with some minor chattel changes. The entranceway has elephant tusks forming an arch so it could quite easily be converted to an Indian restaurant.”

The property is located in the first block to the west of Otahuhu’s Great South Road vibrant and busy retail hub with its northern boundary bordering Otahuhu Primary School.
Bayleys Manukau’s Tony Chaudhary who is marketing the property with Miss Board, says the restaurant is zoned Mixed Use, a zoning that is intended to encourage both residential and business uses within the central area particularly on sites like this one that are close to public transport.

The neighbouring block of four flats located on 1012 sq m, also zoned Mixed Use and owned by the Clarks, is also for sale. The flats are returning $910 per week and will be auctioned on June 24. They are being marketed by Fleur Board and Tony Chaudhary.