End of an Era: Sue Jenkins puts Mosman culinary landmark Accoutrement on the market.

By ANNA USHER

For 43 years, Australian culinary icon Sue Jenkins has been the woman at the front of Accoutrement, the Mosman kitchenware store loved by locals and visitors worldwide.

But the time has come for the straight-talking, no-nonsense businesswoman to retire before her 80th birthday next year.

Sue has chosen Mosman Collective to share the news of her decision to sell the landmark store, which has been located at 611 Military Rd since 1982.

“It has been a tough decision – and one that has involved the entire family,” she said, “but I’m not getting any younger, and it feels like the time is right for someone younger to take over the reins.”

Sue Jenkins has dedicated much of her life to an unwavering adherence to quality, making her a food luminary and one of the lower north shore’s most loved local personalities.

Established in 1970, Sue took over the business from the Prentice family in 1982. She enjoyed stellar success, partly thanks to her renowned cooking school at the rear of the store that hosted the likes of Neil Perry, Guillaume Brahimi, Christine Manfield and Damien Pignolet.

“At one point, we were doing 150 classes a year,” Sue recalls, “it was absolute madness in the ’80s and 90’s; quite literally there was an insatiable hunger for people to learn the finer art of cooking.”

Broker Gary Zinner from SBX Global is handling the sale of the landmark store, which offers 125sqm and a fiercely loyal customer base.

“This extremely well-established store has been a Lower North Shore icon for over 50 years, and it has evolved over that time from being a kitchen and homewares retailer to include a cooking school as well as upmarket food, hamper & gift retailer,” Mr Zinner said.

“A recent new shop fit-out costing $186,000 was a complete upgrade in 2022.”

Mr Zinner said Accoutrement boasts an annual revenue of $1.897 million, with an owner’s profit of $207,536.

“There is huge potential to expand Accoutrement into a multistore operation – or even develop a franchising system,” he said.

Speaking from her farm in Tasmania, Sue told Mosman Collective she would love a “local foodie” to take on the iconic business, with a view to re-opening the Cooking School, which closed during Covid.

“There is a lot that could be done with the business; I would love to see a new owner really take Accoutrement to the next level,” she said.

“But my focus now is the farm in Tasmania. I have planted 2000 trees and am busy growing a 30-acre garden, which is taking up a massive amount of time.

“I am not sick, I am not incapacitated – infact, I am as fit and healthy as I’ve ever been.

“It’s just time for me to literally stop and smell the roses.”

If you want to purchase Accoutrement, the price guide is $350,000. Please email Gary Zinner for more information at [email protected]