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In 1932, two national icons were born: the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the great Australian milk bar.
Australia’s was possibly also the world’s first. The Black and White Milk Bar’ in Sydney was owned by a Greek migrant, Joachim Tavlarides who went by the Anglicised name of Mick Adams.
Macquarie University Historian, explains that Adams migrated from Greece to the USA before coming to Australia. Influenced by what he saw in both countries, he merged the American concept of the drugstore soda bar with the Greek experience of milk shops to create a uniquely Australian venue: the milk bar.
“Milk bars were created because of the influences of a diaspora,” Janiszewski says. “Greek migrants came to Australia with ideas from two different regions on the planet: Greece and the USA. I think that’s phenomenal.”
The milk bar emerged as a place where people met friends, caught up on gossip and drank healthy milkshakes at the counter or took them away.
“Milkshakes had been around since the 1880s, globally,” says Janiszewski. “But before Adams’ milk bar, milkshakes weren’t popular. They weren’t smooth and people didn’t find them entertaining on the palette.”
Adams was the first to use the Hamilton Beach milkshake maker to mix the shake. “It had a lever so you could spin it rapidly and create a very smooth drink.” The original recipe contained milk, egg, carob chocolate, honey and even nuts.
According to , The Black and White Milk Bar served 5,000 customers on its first day. It acquired a weekly patronage of 27,000.
The milk bar became a global success
Adams’ concept of the milk bar soon went global. It also forged the path for hundreds of Greek migrants who went on to own their own milk bar business in Australia.
“Greek migrants ran their own milk bar businesses for very simple reasons. They didn't need a lot of English and they could support an extended chain of friends and relatives who could then migrate to Australia. Most importantly, Greek milk bar business owners knew that if they worked damn hard, they could make a crust and create a good life for their children.”
Milk bars were the foundational businesses that gave the children of Greek migrants a new life.
Milk bars quickly became community hubs. As time went on, the jukebox made its way into the milk bar scene. Many milk bars also became incorporated in US-style cinemas that were owned by Greek migrants.
But, over time, the milk bar business declined. “Milk bars were the foundational businesses that gave the children of Greek migrants a new life. Many of them received an education and moved into other professions.”
Where did all of the milk bars go?
In the 1970s, milk bar businesses started to face increasing competition from fast food chains. So they diversified their business by selling cigarettes, newspapers, milk, bread and lollies.
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Musk sticks
Eventually though, milk bars were forced out of business. Today they are a rarity in Australia.
The SBS series, , pays tribute to the many milk bars that started Australia’s love affair with café culture.
“Before we started quaffing “cup-of-chinos” and sipping slow drips, our love for milk was centred around the local milk bar,” says co-host of the series, Adam Liaw.
“Traditional Greek milk bars have now transformed into cafes and suburban takeaways – even better, they’ve evolved their own uniquely Aussie offerings.”
Jerry’s Milk Bar in Melbourne is a heritage-listed building that used to house a traditional Greek milk bar. Today, the business owners run a 120-seater café-restaurant inside. As a historic nod to the venue’s previous owners, the menu still features milkshakes.
“We are not a milk bar, even though the name says so,” says co-owner of Jerry’s Milk Bar in Melbourne, Oliver Gualano. “The name is heritage-listed so it can never be changed. Jerry’s Milk Bar is an institution. It’s an icon.”
Unlike Jerry’s Milk Bar (or the Sydney Harbour Bridge), the iconic Black and White Milk Bar is no longer standing. But, says Janiszewski, we can still pay tribute to the impact of the first milk bar on the evolution of Australia’s food and dining scene.
“We are Australians in our difference,” Janiszewski concludes. “That difference created a variety of food outlets and ideas that we have in our society today. The milk bar is a great example of that.”
