Radical, hip and a little offbeat” is how Melbourne-based design office Biasol describes the pocket-sized Billie Buoy bar, whose blue and pink-tinged interior adopted a personality of its own when the venue opened in August 2020. “We looked back to the days before internet and cell phones,” says the team of their design response, which was completed in May of the same year. “We dusted off our Atari and Walkman, put a John Hughes movie in the VHS, and jammed to New Order and Madonna – and conceived Billie Buoy as a 1980s character.”
Opening its doors to Melbourne in the early stages of Victoria’s pandemic response, the good times were all set to roll at Billie Buoy. At least before a series of COVID-induced lockdowns swung those doors shut. Until its final day, the short-lived “community-friendly” eatery served up healthy food and old-school tunes, drawing in “young people and young families with its feel-good vibes of the 1980s,” the designers say.
Electric blue: Billie Buoy bar in Melbourne by Biasol
Occupying a corner location in Essendon, the building – a former neighbourhood butcher – has strong street presence to its front and side. Glass windows provide a view into the front of the venue, while the side wall was splashed with the words Wake Me Up When I’m Famous, “providing a memorable backdrop for Instagram fame,” the designers enthuse. Defined by deep blue tones, archways and blurs of neon, the interiors and branding of Billie Buoy were developed in unison, creating high impact and strengthening the outlet’s appeal.
Designed somewhat like a diner, a corner arrangement of banquette seating rested at the entry, flowing into the counter area with stools, which was open to accommodate circulation in and out. An arched tunnel led to more banquette seating in the rear dining room and to the back-of-house. The arch was a distinctive feature throughout Billie Buoy – its geometric curvature reducing the height of the ceiling in places and softening the junction between ceiling and wall.
“Nothing says 1980s like a palette of cobalt blue and hot pink,” the designers say. “Blue is bold and moody, with textural materials – terrazzo, mosaic tiles, rendered walls and felt upholstery – to create depth, richness and variation within the singular hue.” Brick flooring grounds the space, while the stainless-steel bar and arched shelving provides old-school vibes. “Hot pink and neon punch up the palette and [helped] get customers into the groove,” the designers add.
“We developed the brand identity, including the signage, coffee cups, packaging and apparel, inspired by the bright, colourful designs of Memphis,” says the Biasol design team, who printed the lyrics of Rick Astley songs on the takeaway bags. “A Billie Buoy play on the Billionaire Boys Club appears on the branded apparel.”
Gone but not forgotten, Billie Buoy was a fun, youthful and retro-cool experience, where feel-good dreams of 1980s nostalgia could come true. “The signs were taken down last week, and the frontage has now been painted over,” commented one reviewer on Trip Advisor in April. But perhaps all hope is not lost. The bar’s website and Instagram account suggest Billie Buoy is moving on after a “difficult year” and a makeover, asking its patrons to “stay tuned” for the next chapter.
Gone but not forgotten, Billie Buoy was a fun, youthful and retro-cool experience, where feel-good dreams of 1980s nostalgia could come true.
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