It has had a somewhat chequered past, but there's no doubt that the two-storey building at the end of the Long Bridge holds a special place in the hearts of many people.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Known as the Little Red Apple in its heyday, the 1878 construction - these days used as a residential property - has been listed for sale.
Step back 40 years and the Little Red Apple was a French restaurant, Maitland's first sojourn into fine dining.
Before that there was a Chinese restaurant or two, but that pretty much summed up your culinary choice in Maitland.
The days of Thai, Mexican and Indian food choices were along way off.
It meant for the man trying to impress, for anniversaries, engagements and those special occasions, the Little Red Apple was the only place to go.
It spent some time after that as a popular Italian eatery too.
And it needs to be said, for those who have been around town for a while, it also spent time as a house of ill repute.
The Little Red Apple has seen it all.
YOUR SAY: Do you have a special memory from Little Red Apple. Write to us at lowerhunter@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Realty agent Michael Kirwan, whose family has a link to the property when it was a thriving Italian restaurant, is hoping for a price in the $900,000s.
"It is zoned B4 and that makes it a highly versatile property," he said.
"It has the potential to go to six storeys, but could equally be kept as a residential property, maybe a bed and breakfast, or a commercial property. It could do back to being a restaurant or a cafe.
"I think that variety means it will appeal to a lot of potential buyers.
"While it is situated in the middle of town in a heritage conservation area, the property itself is not heritage."
Mr Kirwan said he has received a lot of inquiries even at this early stage - "but a lot of that would just be people who are curious".
While there is a lot of uncertainty in the world today with coronavirus impacting on so many things, Mr Kirwan said the vendor is in no hurry. The market is not quite there at the moment, so we'll see how it plays out."
The building was closed to the public in the late 1990s and has since been restored, maintaining its unique features wherever possible.
A double-sized shed and workshop space with two carports attached provides plenty of parking and storage space, while a variety of paved open and covered courtyards.
There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms.