Legendary pie shop serves its last customer
IT WAS the end of an era in Port Alfred yesterday, when legendary Sunshine Coast pie shop, Beavers, served its last customer.
A popular pit-stop for hungry travellers and nocturnal locals for 35 years, unsuspecting patrons, who stopped by yesterday for a snack said they were disappointed the 24/7 eatery was closing down to make way for an unnamed franchise business.
An emotional Justin Wilmot, who owned the business with his family for 25 years, however, told the Daily Dispatch the legendary pies would be back sometime soon.
“We are taking a break for now, but the pies will be back. We just need some time to breathe,” he said.
Holding back the tears, Justin recalled how the family spent many happy years in the business his father, Keith Wilmot, bought on an impulse in 1992.
He said Beavers was started in 1981 by Gavin Deenik and was given its unusual name after the original owners decided pies were easier for passing motorists to eat than hamburgers.
“Legend has it the name came about when they soon realised they would be busy as beavers making pies.”
On its busiest day a few years back, the eatery sold 3 000 pies in one day to hungry Bathurst ox braai revellers.
One of the “weirdest” occurrences over the years, according to Wilmot, was a dare that involved inebriated late-night revellers going in to order pies naked.
“The person would lean against the pie counter and point down and order a sausage roll,” he chuckled.
Wilmot and his sister, Jo, said it was a sad reality that the neighbourhood cafe-diner concept was dying out. They confirmed the shop would be taken over by a national franchise.
Soon after Keith bought Beavers, the staff were robbed while locking up and after that he decided to keep it open 24/7 to prevent a repeat.
Anybody in a uniform from “police to ambulance drivers and private security guards” was given free coffee. The problem never recurred. Local Reegan Muller said he used to stop in at Beavers several times a week to buy pies and the popular chicken strips and chips special.
Admitting to regularly stopping by after a night on the town, Muller said he would also miss the friendly staff, some of whom have worked there for 35 years, and the early morning banter from hungry patrons.
“Beavers was awesome, it was the best place to stop by at 2am.”
Disappointed Cookie Naidoo said she was sad she would not be able to buy her favourite pie snacks from Beavers every time she drove through Port Alfred.
“It was a must-stop for our family for the past five years; we would buy pies for the road and even taken them home and freeze them to eat later.”
Karen Long, who signed a shortterm lease to run the landmark eatery from October through the holiday season until yesterday, said it had been “emotional” having to tell people it was closing down.
The last of the stock was being sold off yesterday. —