EXTRA SHOT OF COFFEE BIG HIT
BUSINESS is so good for the Townsville owner of a popular coffee truck that she has opened a second, permanent outlet in a new pet hub in Kirwan.
Business owner Gina Searles, from Macknade in the Hinchinbrook Shire, said trade from her mobile cafe, the Coffee Tree, had gone gangbusters since she purchased the business two years ago.
The daughter of a sugar mill worker and stay-athome mum Jose Toigo, who makes the biscuits for the mobile cafe, said the business had expanded from Monday to Friday trade to incorporate weekend events, including festivals and markets.
“Weekday trade is quite busy and going well, the Pimlico high school students are loving it, they love frappés.”
The new permanent cafe window – GG’S Coffee Tree – is now open at the old Mitre 10 building on Herveys Range Rd in Kirwan, while husband Damon, a former floor layer from Halifax, operated the truck. She said she loved operating in Townsville.
“We’re happy with it. I’ve made heaps of great friends slash customers or should I say customers slash friends through having the van firstly and then I am pretty sure we will be quite popular here too with people.”
She attributed her success to being local and sourcing local produce, including the coffee from Mareeba.
“We try to keep most things local, the coffee, the milk, we have our biscuits made by my mum, the chocolate slices, and I think because we’re local, we know people and we’re friendly,” she said.
Mrs Searles said she often got in trouble at school for talking too much “and being told it would never get me anywhere”.
“Talking 7is one of my special talents … I love it, I’m Italian-sicilian, I love to chat and I love people,” she said. “I say that the coffee lady is the new hairdresser, you tell her all your problems, that’s me.”