How much does it cost to own a piece of Watton Street in Werribee? About $9000 per square metre.
That is how much a local icon – John Sweeting’s narrow jewellery store at 73 Watton Street – sold for on Thursday when it went under the hammer.
About 200 people had gathered to see what price it would fetch.
In the end it was bought for $1.175 million by a young market gardener.
Auctioneer Donald McKillop from Barry Plant, who sold the property, said he was happy with the result.
“It was bought by John Sweeting almost 56 years to the day on 3 June 1958,” Mr McKillop said.
“I’m happy in one regard that it reached the reserve but sad to see a piece of history go and to see this store’s legacy closed. It will be exciting to see what happens in the future.”
Mr McKillop said there were no heritage overlays dictating what could be done with the about 130-square-metre property.
He said the new owners were likely to develop the building.
David Sweeting, the son of the last man to own the shop, said he was pleased to see it sell.
“Dad actually bought it the year before I was born and they lived out the back of the shop,” Mr Sweeting said.
“I have very fond memories of playing out the back and I even remember horses and paddocks being across the road out the back.
“I’d like to see it developed along with the current rate of construction in the area.
“It would be good to see it turned into something with a contemporary design but with a nice heritage feel.”
The shop was put on the market after John Sweeting died late last year.
