Unspeakable sadness has spread among the family, friends, and wider community of Vasilis Batzogiannis—known to many as Bill Batz—following news of his passing at the age of 76, less than a year after closing the doors of his beloved pastry shop, International Cakes.
Both Batzogiannis and his shop were beloved fixtures of Melbourne’s Greek community. Together, they stood as enduring symbols of the Hellenic presence on Lonsdale Street, welcoming generations with sweet hospitality and a familiar smile.
The shop officially closed on 30 September 2024, with Bill locking up for the final time. Just over nine months later, the community now mourns the loss of the man behind the counter.
“We are shocked,” his daughter Mary told Neos Kosmos.
His funeral will be held on Monday, 14 July.
As Neos Kosmos reported last year in a feature by Iris Papathanasiou, International Cakes was more than a pastry shop—it was a cultural landmark.
If the walls could speak, they would tell endless stories of the first Greeks who arrived in Australia, of the families they raised, and of how they found belonging in a new land. Across the road at Queen Victoria Hospital, thousands of Greek children were born, with fathers and relatives often waiting next door—comforted by the aromas and warmth of Bill and his business partner Manolis Giovanoglou’s shop.
Adjacent to the store were the offices of Neos Kosmos, where staff would line up each morning for their coffee, with Mr Batzogiannis often catching up on the latest news of Greece and the Greek community firsthand. Even Neos Kosmos editor Sotiris Hatzimanolis once worked there as a student, forging a friendship with Bill that lasted a lifetime.
It was no surprise, then, that Bill chose Neos Kosmos to announce the closure of International Cakes.
Despite the changes around it—50 to 60 Greek businesses have since left Lonsdale Street—International Cakes remained steadfast for over 50 years, continuing to serve traditional flavours and the hospitality of the homeland with integrity and heart.
“We have customers from everywhere. People come every day who have known us for a long time. Thousands of Greek kids were born right here across the street at Queen Victoria Hospital. They all remember and love this place. What can I tell you? They come with so much respect for our shop—they’re grown-ups now—and still call me ‘uncle.’ They love the shop for its history,” Bill said, emotionally.
“I loved this shop from the very first moment because it had a Greek element. It was like being back in Greece. Here, it was Greece!”
“I was Greek and remained Greek—I never became Australian. I loved the Greeks, my people—they’re wonderful. And here in the shop, there was immense respect. In 55 years, there wasn’t a single incident. Greeks are proud people. They’re the best customers you could have.”
“Here, you would hear Greek voices inside and outside—it was something else. Now, there are no Greeks here.”
Reflecting on the decline of Greek businesses in the city centre, Bill had previously explained:
“Since the ’90s, rents have gone up. But that wasn’t the only reason. The Greek community started to spread out, and it wasn’t easy to come into the city for every little thing. Once upon a time, you’d only come to the city for coffee. Now, you have to get through the freeways—it takes time—and then find parking. As people began living further from Melbourne, these businesses started moving out of the centre, and the Greek community began assimilating into the Australian environment.”
Bill’s children also worked at International Cakes over the years.
“My two daughters, at different times. But my partner’s son still works here. I’ve had a partner for 45 years—Manolis Giovanoglou. And Manolis and I got along well. To secure our business, we bought the building so no one could move us out. We worked as long as we wanted to work, and 4–5 years ago, we sold the building, intending to retire. And then COVID hit, keeping us here for a few more years.”
“Although I leave with a heavy heart,” Bill said during his final days at the shop, “because I’ll leave so many people who will be disappointed. I tell my Australian customers, and they tell me how much they will miss us… they ask me, ‘Where will you go?’”
He spoke fondly of the loyal regulars who continued to visit, day after day: “Many come every day, people from the old days—not just Greeks, but Australians, too—who walk into the shop as if it’s their home…
I will miss the shop. I will miss the people—not just the Greeks. I did everything I wanted, offered everything I could, and I have nothing more to say than ‘Thank you’ to my customers for all their support.”
Batzogiannis’ memory will live on not only through his pastries, but through the legacy of connection, generosity, and community he nurtured over five decades—a legacy that made International Cakes more than just a shop. It was, for many, a second home.
