19 years before John Fretus opened his auctioneering business on Forest Road, Hurstville, misfortune struck:
From SMH, Monday 8 December 1902.
John Fretus Auctioneer/Sun Ming Chinese Restaurant – Hurstville, NSW
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I REMEMBER THIS PLACE BEING “ROMA” RESTAURANT” BACK IN THE EARLY 80’S. MY BEST FRIEND ELIO, HIS FATHER Mr RUSSO RAN THE JOINT. MY FATHER PETER USE TO RUN THE “ICE CREAM BAZAAR” SHOP JUST A FEW DOORS DOWN, CURRENTLY KNOWN AS “ADAM’S KEBABS”.
ELIO AND I (BOTH AROUND 10 YEARS OLD) USED TO HANG OUT AND GET INTO ALL SORTS OF TROUBLE… SMOKING CIGARETTES, THROWING ROCKS AT PASSING TRAINS, TORCHING UP CARS, WALKING INTO CONSTRUCTION SITES (SAFETY FENCES WEREN’T MANDATORY BACK THEN) WHEN THE WORKERS WEREN’T WORKING AND BUILDING CUBBY HOUSES FROM VARIOUS MATERIALS LAYING AROUND. AH… THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS.