The $5 million transformation of Brisbane’s most famous yum cha restaurant into an adult’s playground is almost complete, as operators plan a homage to Fortitude Valley’s most famous arrest.
King of Kings Seafood Restaurant operated at the Wickham Street site, which also had frontage on the Chinatown Mall, between the 1980s and its closure in 2020.
Come February, it will be home to Ballers Clubhouse, a “competitive socialising” venue full of interactive games such as darts, ping-pong, shuffleboard and ball pit karaoke (exactly what it sounds like) and a sports bar featuring large LED screen walls.
Just across the mall, the late Jack Karlson was arrested in 1991, eventually sparking global memes about succulent Chinese meals.
“We’re planning on using that moment in a sort of homage, and we might be naming something on the menu after that moment and that guy,” Ballers chief executive Joshua Lefers said.
“So look out for that.”
The 600-capacity, 1083-square-metre venue was approved in late 2023, and the opening date has now been set at February 1, 2027 – almost two years later than originally planned.
The long timeframe between approval and completion was down to several factors, including what Ballers co-founder and chief commercial officer Stephen Wools described as the “skeletons” they found during the refurbishment.
“Not literal skeletons,” Wools was quick to point out. “There was so much more complexity to look at with this site than we’re probably used to.
“Three years is a long time. The positives that came out of that was we were able to optimise the design. We feel this is probably our best design to date.”
Lefers said he hoped Ballers would be the start of a renaissance for the Chinatown area of the Valley, which had fallen into business decline over the past couple of decades.
“We’re very excited, understanding the Olympics is coming up, and it’s a surprise to have vacant shop fronts and everything not absolutely full yet – but I think it will be,” he said.
“Even having contact with a lot of other businesses and landlords – and our own landlords – you can see it’s really starting to pick up.”
Wools said they were not the only ones investing in the precinct.
“You’ve got AVC [Australian Venue Co] who have just bought up four or five venues. Everyone’s gearing up for the Olympics, some six years out, so I think the Valley is actually going to have a bit of a comeback as we go,” he said.
Wools said the real advantage of the heritage-listed site was its familiarity.
“Everyone in Brisbane knows that site, so when you tell people that Ballers is going to be at King of Kings, people know exactly where to go,” he said.
Ballers Clubhouse started with a single venue in Melbourne’s CBD in 2020. It has since opened a second Melbourne venue, in Carlton, and expanded interstate to Adelaide before Brisbane.
There were also plans to investigate potential sites in Sydney and Perth, and Ballers has also committed $3 million to a new venue in Geelong.
The new Brisbane venue was expected to employ up to 100 hospitality workers as it scaled.
“I think in the next couple of years, as AI starts to dominate the human landscape, we’re going to be craving moments of connectivity,” Wools said.
“Hospitality does this at a really high level for people, and I know people suffered with a lack of connection with people during COVID.
“If you look back through your photos of the last 20 or 30 years, a lot of your favourite moments when you’re celebrating with friends, family, loved ones, are in a hospitality setting.
“We take that role really, really seriously and we want to make sure we allow people to unlock and have fun.”
According to the assessment report submitted to Brisbane City Council, Ballers has sought licensing for operating hours of 10am to 5am, seven days a week.
Long before it was King of Kings, the site was constructed for furniture merchant William Walton, whose business was central to establishing Wickham Street as a major commercial strip in the early 1900s.
Its preserved external heritage features include a slate cantilevered balcony, wrought iron balustrade, flat pilasters, French doors and a decorative brick parapet with corbelled cornices and urns.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.