Preview: Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird

Dean and Andy of Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird, Gardenvale.

Despite the name of our magazine, we are not really all that coffee focussed. Sure, it's a good thing. Sure it's a beverage many of us drink daily and some of us would consider life considerably less rich without it. But all the same it is after all just a drink. (Mmmm, coffee...) In edition Three we will meet Dean and Andy for whom coffee is not just a beverage. It is their livelihood and their passion. Volume Three is  out in May, when you will be able to read all about it!

In the meantime catch up on VOL 1 and VOL 2 here

Omar and the Marvellous Coffee Bird
124 Gardenvale Road
Gardenvale Victoria 3185

Second Shoot for Volume Three! Ruby's Cafe in Coburg

Becky and Mik Tsatsis of Ruby's in Coburg

It was a pleasure hanging out at Ruby's for a few hours to photograph the kitsch space and get to know Becky and Mik a little. Ruby's is this couples first cafe together but they know what they want from the business. They love the open ended possibilities in having their own cafe and, although it only opened late 2013 Becky and Mik are already working on the next phase of their business.

Catch the full story and interiors photographs in Volume Three of Espresso Tales due out mid May 2014.

Catch up one Volumes One and Two here

Ruby's Cafe
138 Nicholson St
Coburg,
Melbourne

Preview: The St Kilda Dispensary

Kristy Andruszko, owner.

It was a pleasure meeting Kristy and photographing her super-cute St Kilda cafe this week.

I love this shot, but it wasn't working with the other chosen photos for the feature so here it is on the blog! Kristy has an eye for styling thanks to her background in a designer pet supplies store where she designed and manufactured most of the products herself. This sweet cafe is a move towards a simpler life - a life which Kristy is loving! Read all about in in VOL 2 of Espresso Tales out in November.

The St Kilda Dispensary

13 Brighton Rd

St Kilda

VIC 3182

Patricia Coffee - meet Bowen Holden

Bowen Holden, owner of Patricia Coffee

I think the best part of my work for Espresso Tales is chatting with my subjects and learning about what makes them tick. Bowen is young, but single minded in all he does. Patricia coffee is a business, of course it is, but it is not typical 'good business sence' that drives Bowen's decision making. The coffee cups are hand made and cost 'a fortune', for example, but Bowen knew he had one chance to realise his dream of owning his own cafe... and he wasn't about to waste it. He could do nothing but put in 110%.
Step into Patrica Coffee and this commitment shows....

Buy Espresso Tales Vol 2 in November and get the full story!

Can't wait? Then check out Vol 1 now! Buy Vol One now

New Lots

Jon, Matin and Luke, cafe proprietors. 

MEET MARTIN, LUKE AND JON OF NEW LOTS, cafe, South Melbourne.

After a year of planning and renovations New Lots throws opens it's doors to the locals. Meet the men behind this handsome, airy cafe on the South Melbourne/Port Melbourne border...

HI MARTIN, CONGRATULATION ON THE RECENT OPENING OF NEW LOTS - TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND, AND ABOUT WHO ELSE IS INVOLVED:

New Lots is a joint venture between myself (Martin) Luke (my brother) and Jon. My role primarily has been in coordinating and managing the project. I have a background in cooking.
Luke has been managing and working various in venues for many years, in more recent years as a bar manager, with stints at Nobu, The Atlantic, Vue de Monde and currently bar manger at Radio Mexico in St Kilda. Jon is a fully trained chef, working at Automatic, Albert Park Deli and Canvas in Burwood.

THIS IS A BRAVE MOVE OPENING IN THIS CORNER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE - WHAT DREW YOU TO THE SITE?

We were drawn to the space itself and the location. We like that it is away from Bay Street and that it is directly across from Page Reserve, which is one of the few parks in the area and doubles as an off-leash area - so dogs (and kids) can run around freely. I guess the idea was to create kick off.

'NEW LOTS' -  HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME?

The name comes from New Lots Avenue, which is on the outskirts of Brooklyn, NY, right at the end of the line. I have always liked the name and I recall this '80's Melbourne graffiti artist who used to write ‘New Lots 501’.  We have always had a fascination for destitute New York areas and  ramshackle deco design in the subway system. I guess we are also a new lot in an older area.

WHAT DID YOU WANT FROM THE SPACE AS YOU SET ABOUT DESIGNING IT?

The idea was to make the space as natural as possible, utilising both the inside and outside environments to their greatest potential.

This turned out to be far more challenging than we expected. We had never done anything like this before and had a box of ideas without understanding what would be required to make them reality!

It is thanks to the endless patience and commitment from our Master carpenter Craig Gadsby and his determination to get the project finished, that we are here today.

The biggest job structurally was replacing the windows, and adding the window overlooking the park. This created a great aspect and seamless integration with the environment.  

We wanted the walls to look organic and smooth.  

The ceiling was taken out to extend the roof height as much as possible to create even more space.

WHAT IS 'THE PHILOSOPHY' BEHIND NEW LOTS? WHAT ARE YOU WANTING TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS? 

To provide a great locale for people to eat, drink and relax. We are aiming to extend our food options much further and when our liquor license comes through a range of wine and the best beer around; Brooklyn Lager. The location provides great access to the park, where you can spend time with friends or family, whilst enjoying great food, coffee and professional service in a pristine inner city environment.




New Lots, cafe
1/204 Gladstone St
South Melbourne
Melbourne 3205
Open Monday - Saturday


See more photos on MELBOURNE CAFES PHOTO BLOG

THE LITTLE MULE

THE LITTLE MULE 
cafe and bike shop, melbourne CBD
- meet Hugh McIntyre

A few years back Hugh, a lifetime rider, noticed a trend towards affordable, imported bikes and this lit a spark. This idea evolved and with business parter Matt Bates, a keen motor-biker, they set about building The Little Mule Company.

RH - TELL ME ABOUT THE BIKES

Matt's brother designed them and the frames are made up in Taiwan. They would not be affordable if we had them made here, and affordability is important. The frames come in various sizes and colours and everything else is customisable. I don't think we have built two bikes the same.

RH - WHY BIKES AND A CAFE HERE AT SOMMERSET PLACE?

HM -  I just wanted a place to put the bikes together,  and a bit of a showroom. Before this Matt was keen to create a space for bikers to socialise - he is into motorbiking - so the cafe was a sort of compromise for us both! We were keen on this site right away as it was really affordable - but it came at a cost... several months (and skips) later we were still going. We both had full time jobs at the time so worked on this when we could.

RH - WHAT INSPIRED THE LOOK AND DESIGN?

HM - We were on a really tight budget and found things on ebay and in junk shops. We got some good wood from a timber recycling place in Port Melbourne and were lucky to have a great carpenter to put some tables and the counter together for us. It just came together.

RH - YOU WERE BOTH IN ADVERTISING, RIGHT? SO HOW DID YOU HANDLE GETTING THE CAFE OFF THE GROUND?

HM - We've now both moved on from advertising land... Matt met a guy in Sydney, Ed from Little Marionette, and he gave us a lot of great advice and even sourced our machine. We use his coffee and I think we are still the only cafe in Melbourne using it. I taught myself how to pull an espresso at my old job at the advertising agency where there was this old machine. I've improved a great deal!

RH - WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE ALONG THE WAY?

HM - Setting up the cafe. This site needed a lot of work with the clean up and then putting in special plumbing and so on. There was also compliance for council regulations. And managing people - I hadn't managed people before - but luckily we got a great team together and they are still with us. They are all self reliant and don't need me standing over them. I am still working full time but I am constantly working on the business in the background, just not as hands on in the cafe as when we started.

RH - ANY ADVICE TO ANYONE THINKING OF OPENING A CAFE?

HM - Talk to people in the business and get advice. Talk about every facet of the business.

The Little Mule 

18 Somerset Place

Melbourne 3000

Mon - Fri  7am - 3pm

Sat  9.30am - 3pm

words and images (c) www.rhphoto.com.au

GRIDLOCK COFFEE - roaster profile

GRIDLOCK COFFEE 
- roaster profile

Meet Con from Gridlock Coffee. Con is 'a coffee guy'. He bought into his first cafe at only 18 years old with his twin brother Peter, older brother Jim and their Mum.


A desire to seek 'something better' has always been his driving force.


That first cafe - Cambridge Cafe in Collingwood - was the beginning of Con's coffee journey. The cafe had no espresso machine and the norm at the time was to heat up some milk and add instant coffee and sugar. Con and his family immediately started researching into espresso machines and coffee bean suppliers. That was 1988.

Many years (and a few cafes) later Con started to notice something new and different coming out of America: latte art. He signed on to a course, persisted, found himself on the Barista Championships circuit. Con did well on the circuits, winning several titles and finding himself rubbing shoulders with world class coffee suppliers and roasters. This exposure drew him into the world of coffee roasting. Initially for his own use in competitions, then for use in the cafe. Customers and contacts took an interest and so from here Gridlock has become a coffee retailer and supplier to other cafes.
















Con says he immediately fell in love with the roasting process.
The aroma was the first of cupids arrows. He loves also the inexhaustibility of the craft. Every bean is different according to its origin. The altitude, growing region, harvesting methods, processing methods and age of the beans all have an affect. Con insists that with roasting there is no one-rule-suits-all. Constant experimentation is required.


In roasting Con is trying to hit 'the sweet spot' in every batch. "Roasting is about achieving balance. Bringing out balanced acidity, sweetness and bitterness. Every bean is different"


Gridlock has attracted many fans and much media interest. As a business Con says they almost hold back from getting too caught up in this. They want to remain 'boutique'. There are plans to relocate the roaster (currently housed in the back of the family run cafe 65 Degrees on Exhibition St) to a warehouse which will allow even more time and space to perfect every roast. "We are happy to grow slowly and steadily. We are in a good place right now and we want to remain a small batch roaster."

GRIDLOCK COFFEE
309 Exhibition St
Melbourne 3000
www.gridlockcoffee.com.au

See Photos of 65 Degrees cafes on MELBOURNE CAFES PHOTO BLOG




words and photos Rebecca Hughes www.rhphoto.com.au

BOUNDARY ESPRESSO

BOUNDARY ESPRESSO, 
CAFE, PRESTON.

Meet Dave and Lea




Husband wife team Dave and Lea opened Boundary Espresso in 2010 after a long search for just the right premises...








WHY A CAFE - WHY NOW?

Dave's always wanted to open his own cafe. We just found the right place at the right time - we'd been looking for the right spot for years. We found the space the day before we were going on an overseas holiday and snapped it up.

WHY HERE?

We really wanted an old corner shop in a local neighbourhood, and it only took us years to find it! We liked the nice big windows which give lots of light and also loved the old school flooring. Being on a tram line was also important.

WHAT KIND OF CAFE DID YOU WANT TO CREATE?

We wanted to create an intimate, comfortable space with industrial elements and lots of natural light with the focus being on good simple food and great coffee. A cafe that reflects us - the music that we like to listen to, a friendly atmosphere, and a local community feel.

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

Paperwork! Being a first time business owner it's always challenging keeping up with the paperwork. I'm more into making coffee!

AND THE NAME?

We tossed up a few different names and thought about it for ages. Then we came up with the idea of the cafe being at the boundary of the inner north, located just south of Bell St. It just made sense!

WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF A GREAT CAFE?

Good simple food, great coffee and friendly service  

ANY ADVICE TO OTHERS OPENING A CAFE?

Know the area. Expect things to take a while through Council. Do it for love not money.

WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN?

Yes. It will be easier next time as we'd know what to expect (hopefully!)




BOUNDARY ESPRESSO
107 Plenty Rd
Preston, Melbourne.
Open Daily to 4pm
BOUNDARY ESPRESSO




Thanks for your time and it was great meeting you both!!


Also on MELBOURNE CAFES PHOTO BLOG