Justin Hemmes: How He Built a $500M Hospitality Empire

There’s a pub in Sydney that feels like the backdrop to half the city’s memories. The person behind it, Justin Hemmes, turned that one venue into a collection of over 80 bars, restaurants, and hotels, building a fortune estimated at half a billion dollars while a secret new project in the CBD absorbs his attention.

Net worth: Estimated $500 million+ (2024) ·
Businesses owned: Over 80 venues under Merivale ·
Year inherited Merivale: 2000 ·
Number of children: 1 (born 2023) ·
Marriages: 1 (to Madeline Holtznagel, 2022) ·
Instagram followers: 78,000+

Six key facts about Justin Hemmes, from birth to current projects, tell a story of inheritance, ambition, and tight-lipped development.

How did Justin Hemmes get so rich?

Inheritance of the House of Merivale

Justin Hemmes was born into the hospitality business. His father, John Hemmes, founded the House of Merivale, a company built around a single pub in Sydney. When John died in 2000, Justin inherited the business at age 27 (Wikipedia).

According to the official Merivale website (company story), the group “has grown to over 90 brands and venues” under Justin’s leadership. That growth didn’t happen by accident: he used the family’s long-held Sydney CBD property assets as a financial base.

Expansion through real estate and venue acquisitions

• The Hemmes family’s property-based wealth includes long-held Sydney CBD assets that have risen sharply in value over time (Apartments.com.au).
• Key acquisitions include The Ivy, Establishment Hotel, and the CBD Hotel — core assets that anchor the family fortune (Apartments.com.au).
• In 2022, Merivale acquired the Kings Green site for a massive Sydney CBD entertainment precinct (The Urban Developer).

The implication: Hemmes doesn’t just operate venues — he buys the land they sit on, which has proved to be a winning wealth strategy in Sydney’s rising property market.

Revenue from over 80 hospitality venues

The Wikipedia entry for Merivale reports that the company settled a workplace claim for A$18 million in 2024 (without admission of wrongdoing). That scale of settlement hints at a business large enough to generate substantial revenue, though exact figures are not publicly disclosed.

Merivale’s official news page attributes creative direction to Justin and executive chef Mike Eggert (Merivale), confirming that the group is still innovating across its portfolio.

What pubs does Justin Hemmes own?

Flagship venues in Sydney

• The Ivy — a multi-level sun-drenched venue in Sydney’s CBD, one of the most recognisable nightlife spots in the city (Apartments.com.au).
• Establishment Hotel — a boutique hotel and bar on George Street (Apartments.com.au).
• The Newport — a harbourside pub on the Northern Beaches, famous for its Sunday sessions.

Merivale’s portfolio of pubs, bars, and restaurants

The group operates more than 80 venues according to a report syndicated by The Age (via Facebook). The company’s own site says “over 90 brands and venues” (Merivale).

Venue types span fine-dining restaurants, casual eateries, rooftop bars, nightclubs, and event spaces. The concentration in Sydney’s CBD, Bondi, The Rocks, and Paddington gives the group a dominant presence.

Recent acquisitions and expansions

Merivale is reportedly looking beyond Sydney’s limits. The Age reported that the company “has more than 80 venues across Sydney” and “his sights are now set on Melbourne” (The Age). However, the report added that Melbourne “had not embraced Hemmes in the same way.” The reception in that city remains an open question.

Does Justin Hemmes have kids?

First child with Madeline Holtznagel

Justin Hemmes and his wife Madeline Holtznagel welcomed their first child, a daughter, in 2023 (Wikipedia). The child’s name has not been publicly disclosed.

Family life and public appearances

The family keeps a relatively low profile. Hemmes occasionally shares glimpses of his personal life on Instagram (78,000+ followers), but he rarely gives interviews about his children or marriage.

How many times has Justin Hemmes been married?

Marriage to Madeline Holtznagel

Justin Hemmes married model Madeline Holtznagel in 2022 (Wikipedia). The wedding was a private ceremony attended by close friends and family.

Previous relationships

Public records show no prior marriages. Before his relationship with Holtznagel, Hemmes was linked to other high-profile figures but never married. The Wikipedia page lists only one marriage.

The pattern: Hemmes appears to be a one-marriage businessman, which runs counter to the tabloid image sometimes painted of him.

How many businesses does Justin Hemmes own?

Merivale’s portfolio size

Merivale operates over 80 venues (the company itself says “over 90 brands and venues”) across Sydney (Merivale). That includes pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, and event spaces.

Types of venues

• Pubs: The Newport, The Cricketers Arms, The Beresford
• Bars and nightclubs: The Ivy Pool Club, Establishment Bar, Soda Factory
• Restaurants: Totti’s, Fratelli Fresh, Lotus Dining
• Hotels: Establishment Hotel, The Newport Hotel

The Urban Developer confirmed that the upcoming precinct will add a 100-key hotel, six floors of bars and restaurants, and two basement levels for live music and a nightclub — effectively a city within a city.

Justin Hemmes has grown the company into an ever-expanding hospitality group.

— Merivale official website

The Sydney entertainment precinct is intended to support NSW’s 24-hour economy strategy and vibrancy reforms.

— The Urban Developer

The Hemmes family’s fortune is built from ownership of about 70 pubs, hotels, restaurants and venues.

— Apartments.com.au

For Justin Hemmes, the bet on Sydney’s entertainment future is enormous. He’s putting capital, reputation, and family legacy into a precinct that could either cement his status as the city’s hospitality king or expose the limits of rapid expansion. For him, the choice is clear: watch that corner of York Street, or miss the next chapter of Sydney’s nightlife history.

Related reading: Sydney entertainment precinct

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