View source for Gus's

{{Short description|Cafe in Canberra, Australia}}
{{for multi|the pretzel bakery and snack counter in St. Louis, Missouri, United States|Gus's Pretzels|the famous pickles vendor located on the Lower East Side of New York City|Guss' Pickles}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox restaurant
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| name                = Gus's
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| image               = File:Gus' Place September 2017.jpg
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| image_caption       = Gus' Place in September 2017
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| established         = {{Start date|1969}}
| closed              = {{End date|2024|01|14}}
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| previous-owner      = Augustin 'Gus'
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| city                = [[Canberra]]
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[[File:Gus Petersilka plaque.jpg|thumb|Plaque to Gus Petersilka, near Gus's cafe]]
'''Gus's cafe''' was a café located in [[City Centre, Australian Capital Territory|Civic]], [[Canberra]], [[Australia]]. It opened in 1969 and later became the first outdoor [[pavement cafe]] in Canberra. It was one of the oldest and best known cafes in Canberra and one of the first [[Europe]]an-style cafes in Australia.  It had both outdoor and indoor dining areas. The cafe closed in January 2024, but is intended to be re-opened in several years. It will be at the base of the Garema Place Hotel, which will occupy the café's original space.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}

==History==

The cafe was established by Augustin 'Gus' Petersilka (20 July 1918 – 23 October 1994)<ref>[https://www.library.act.gov.au/find/history/frequentlyaskedquestions/personal_stories/canberra-citizen-of-the-year-1967/gus-petersilka ACT Library]. Retrieved 27 March 2018</ref> who emigrated to Australia from [[Austria]] in 1951 and arrived in Canberra in 1962. Petersilka had difficulties with introducing this new style of dining to Canberra as it was against the regulations of the time for people to sit outside in a cafe or restaurant, and he had several well-publicised clashes with bureaucrats.<ref>Condolence motion on the death of Mr Gus Petersilka at {{cite hansard | url= http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/HANSARD/1994/pdfs/19941108.pdf |format=PDF| house= [[Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly]] |title=Death of Mr Gus Petersilka| date= 8 November 1994| page_start= 3771| page_end= 3774}}  During the debate [[Bill Stefaniak|Mr Stefaniak]] said: ''Gus went through various jobs and businesses until he went to his famous Cafe Gus's on Bunda Street. He had a lot of fights with bureaucrats there. One morning he found that his tables and chairs had been taken away on the back of a Department of the Interior truck. As a result of the public outcry, those tables and chairs were returned. ....  In 1974 he had further problems with the department in relation to some awnings and some poles which did not have the correct approval. Again, the department did a raid; this time, I understand, a pre-dawn raid. Again, there was an outcry; and those goods were returned.''</ref>

A plaque on the pavement outside Gus's cafe marks the occasion of Gus Petersilka being made the Canberran of the Year for 1978. It reads:

{{cquote|''Gus epitomised the emerging soul of Canberra. His constant representations on behalf of the people of the city produced the establishment of the outdoor Viennese cafe throughout Canberra. He was the scourge of the establishment and a crusader of the people. His friendly hospitality and fierce determination has been indelibly stamped on the character of Canberra. May his energy, vision and laughter live on in this city.'' }}

Petersilka was commemorated on 14 November 2002, by having a street<ref>[http://www.whereis.com/act/gungahlin/petersilka-st#session=MTI= Petersilka Street]</ref> named after him in the Canberra district of [[Gungahlin]].<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.legislation.act.gov.au/ar/2002-1/20021119-3266/pdf/2002-1.pdf| title = Schedule: Public Place Names 2002, NO. 11 (Street Nomenclature - Gungahlin) - Division of Gungahlin: Australian Industrialists and Aspects of Industry, Gungahlin Pioneers| year = 2002 | publisher = ACT Government |access-date = 2008-03-06}}</ref> The cafe was heritage listed in 2011.<ref name="CT Gus' Cafe in Civic will re-open">{{cite news|last1=Thistleton|first1=John|title=Canberra's heritage-listed Gus' Cafe in Civic will re-open with new owners|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/canberra-life/canberras-heritagelisted-gus-cafe-in-civic-will-reopen-with-new-owners-20160717-gq7sud.html|access-date=18 July 2016|work=The Canberra Times|date=18 July 2016}}</ref>

On 11 March 2011, Gus's was added to the [[Australian Capital Territory Heritage Register]]. The listing requires the conservation of the "intangible social value attributed to the location Gus’ café" and a plaque dedicated to the cafe rather than the cafe itself.<ref name="ACTHR">{{cite web |title=GUS' CAFÉ at Bunda Street, Civic |url=http://www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/148325/1341.pdf |publisher=ACT Heritage Council |access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref>

On 9 March 2012, Gus's was temporarily closed down by the ACT Health Directorate for serious food safety breaches and risks to the public.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-11/popular-canberra-cafes-closed/3882080|title=Popular cafes named and shamed|newspaper=ABC News |date=10 March 2012}}</ref>

The cafe closed in late June 2016 and was sold.<ref name="CT Gus' Cafe in Civic will re-open" /> It re-opened in September 2017 as Gus' Place.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hogan|first1=Jill|title=Gus' Place cafe on Bunda Street reopening with all-day dining, and dinner to come|url=https://www.goodfood.com.au/eat-out/cafe/gus-place-cafe-on-bunda-street-reopening-with-allday-dining-and-dinner-to-come-20170724-gxhavv|access-date=5 November 2017|work=goodfood|date=8 September 2017}}</ref>

Gus' Place closed on 14 January 2024 ahead of the demolition of the building it was located in to build a luxury hotel.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Evans |first1=Steve |title=Historic Gus' Place to close after 57 years |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8484291/guss-place-beloved-canberra-cafe-to-close/?cs=14329 |access-date=14 January 2024 |work=The Canberra Times |date=12 January 2024 |language=en-AU}}</ref> The proposed design for the hotel includes a new cafe to be called Gus' Place which will be located at the site of the previous cafe.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Levinson |first1=Brittney |title=Gus' cafe included in new designs for luxury hotel |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8629389/gus-cafe-included-in-garema-place-crystalbrook-hotel-designs/?cs=14329 |access-date=16 May 2024 |work=The Canberra Times |date=16 May 2024 |language=en-AU}}</ref>

== References ==
{{commonscat|Gus' Place}}
{{Portal|Australia}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Canberra landmarks}}
{{coord|35|16|39.92|S|149|7|55.00|E|display=title}}

[[Category:Australian Capital Territory Heritage Register]]
[[Category:Bakery cafés]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Canberra]]
[[Category:Coffeehouses and cafés in Australia]]
[[Category:Restaurants in Canberra]]

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