The Three Crowns Hotel: North Melbourne’s second lounge room

For nearly 160 years, the Three Crowns Hotel has stood proudly on the corner of Victoria and Hawke streets, serving generations of North Melbourne locals and earning its place as one of the area’s most enduring institutions.

First opening its doors in 1867, the historic pub has witnessed enormous change around it. But according to hotel manager Pita, the secret to its longevity is simple: people.

From the moment you step inside, the Three Crowns feels less like a pub and more like a community gathering place. Regulars are greeted by name, staff know their customers, and visitors quickly feel like part of the neighbourhood.

“It’s like a second living room for a lot of people,” Pita said.

“We have regulars who have been coming here for years. It’s like a village here; everyone knows everyone.”

That sense of connection is no accident. The venue employs 29 staff and places a strong emphasis on hiring locals who understand the community they serve.

We employ on personality, Pita said. You can teach someone how to pour a beer, but you can’t teach them how to genuinely connect with people.

The Three Crowns is operated by Proper Pub Co, led by publican Chris, whose philosophy centres on creating welcoming community pubs where everyone feels comfortable walking through the door.

“Be smart, be brave, give a s**t and be humble” is the company’s guiding mantra, helping foster a workplace culture that has resulted in strong staff retention.

Among those long-serving team members is head chef Kenny, who has been part of the Three Crowns family for 11 years.

While the pub proudly embraces its traditional roots, it is not standing still. The venue is introducing new menu additions while retaining the classic pub favourites that have built a loyal following over the years.

“The wheel of the pub isn’t broken,” Pita said. “We just give people what they want.”

With 20 beers on tap, daily happy hour from 4pm to 6pm, and a reputation for consistency, the Three Crowns continues to draw locals in a city where patrons are spoiled for choice.

The venue is also extending its trading hours, opening from 3pm on Mondays and Tuesdays to ensure locals can rely on their neighbourhood pub being open when they need it.

That community-first approach is now set to extend beyond North Melbourne, with Proper Pub Co taking over the Steam Packet Hotel in Williamstown from June 29.

Long-serving venue manager Aiden will lead the new venture after spending the past seven years at the Three Crowns, taking with him the same focus on local connection that has helped make the North Melbourne pub a neighbourhood institution.

“The MO of everything is community pubs,” he said.

“We hire local people with local knowledge and local connections. There are still pockets of Melbourne that are close to the city but feel like little villages, and that’s what we’re trying to create – places where people feel connected to their community.”

In a rapidly changing inner city, the Three Crowns remains a place where locals, newcomers and visitors alike can pull up a stool, order a pint and feel at home.

The Three Crowns Hotel is located at 365 Victoria St, North Melbourne. •