The Volo: 0-100 in one season
Restaurants, padel courts have been a game-changer for Kenton tourism
“Incredible!” That’s how Graeme Paper, manager of a new gathering spot in Kenton, The Volo, describes the response to the opening of the multifunction family spot in the heart of the Sunshine Coast’s “barefoot capital”.
It started as an idea among five friends who all have strong connections to Kenton and the Eastern Cape.
“They wanted somewhere they felt comfortable bringing their own families,” Paper said.
Transforming the idea into a ninepart restaurant and entertainment complex involved serious teamwork.
“We opened on December 8, which is a bit late to get going for the season,” Paper said. And it was unbelievably busy from the get-go.
“I would arrive at 8am to prepare for opening at 9am and there would already be people walking in behind me,” Paper said.
And that was just for the indoor and outdoor food and drink and chill spaces. The two padel courts took the Volo into another league.
“The padel courts were open from 6am to 10pm and both courts were fully booked every day,” Paper said.
Booking was only via the app, and people came from all over the Sunshine Coast and beyond to experience the tennis/squash amalgamation that has taken the world by storm.
On the day Talk of the Town was there, a group of eight friends from Makhanda had come down for a morning on the courts. Afterwards they enjoyed a light brunch in the spacious outdoor seating area.
Just beyond their table under the trees was the Beach Shack the most popular venue in December.
Corrugated iron and weathered wood bracket an open space, where paddleskis on the wall, Turkish carpet and comfortable informal seating on a
beach-sand floor create a chilled, sociable backpackers vibe.
Pizzas, rib baskets and finger food, plus unbreakable glasses make for relaxed staff, too.
“During season, we opened from 12 to 12, and it was always full,” Paper said. Out of season, the Beach Shack opens until 10pm.
Already it’s become a popular choice for private functions.
“It’s a great spot for a 50th or 21st birthday,” Paper said. “Groups can hire
the whole space for special occasions.”
Corporate days, using padel for team-building, the upstairs conference room for business, followed by the main restaurant’s dinner menu, are what Paper is looking at next.
“We’d also like to make the padel courts accessible to locals,” Paper said.
Monday through Thursday, padel is half price for locals and weekends (Fridays through Sundays) is full price.
“We’re also arranging for a padel coach to be available to people who
want to up their game.”
According to tourism businesses, the Volo has been a game changer.
“It’s given people even more reasons to come to Kenton and stay longer,” one tourism veteran said.
Paper’s brief from the Volo’s owners was to find local suppliers for the goods and services the establishment needed.
“Even if I could get something a bit cheaper in Gqeberha, I source it from the area where possible,” Paper said.
Adding to the Volo’s value to the
Sunshine Coast is that all the staff are from Kenton-on-Sea, with just one from Port Alfred.
“It was a big rush to get things going here,” Paper said. “It was a huge effort
plumbers, construction, interior decoration so much going on that I wasn’t able to spend much time with the staff.” It was a baptism of fire.
“In December, everyone worked long hours, and really hard. But everyone supported each other and we became a little community.
“That’s actually what I’m the proudest of,” Paper said.
Paper, who recently moved from Ballito in KwaZulu-Natal to George, has decades of experience in the restaurant business in SA and abroad.
He relocated to the Sunshine Coast for three months when he was asked to manage The Volo just for three months while it go on to its feet. Well, that turned into four months and now, enchanted by Kenton and the Eastern Cape, he’s staying.
“At the end of January, the owners asked me if I would stay on: it was a nobrainer.”