Don’t be mistaken if you visit the newly opened Hardware Store Café for a few nuts and bolts, and instead leave with a delicious coffee or breakfast.
“Lots of older patrons come in and tell me they use to buy all their tools from here,” says Owner Sean McCann. “The former hardware store was in this location for 60 years, it played an important role in the community’s history, and we like to think we’ve kept that community concept and added some character to the place. It’s like walking into your old grandpa’s shed that just happens to serve amazing coffee.”
Sean opened The Hardware Store Café on Friday 13 February to a few curious customers, but come the Saturday he says lines were out the door. “We’re in an exciting location, an area that had been screaming out for a venue like ours,” says Sean.
The café displays a big old wheelbarrow hanging on the wall, and tools hang in aisles similar to that of a hardware store; divided into electrical, plumbing, paint and nursery. The walls are stripped back to expose old bricks and the original timber floorboards add some old charm. “I went to family farms and raided their barns for all the hardware paraphernalia I could get, everything from rusty tools to old paint tins,” says Sean.
Sean’s had his fair share of hospitality experience over the past five years, working in bars, clubs, pubs, breweries, even private yachts on the Caribbean. But The Hardware Store Café is the first business Sean has had ownership of, with business partner Guy Hodgson. “We put our heads together and took the opportunity to start something new. We couldn’t be happier with the café’s progress or our partnership,” he says.
When the time was right to select their coffee supplier, Sean says Campos Coffee was the first call he made. “Their after sales service is one of the best I’ve seen. Their team has been supportive every step of the way,” says Sean. “We’re only the fourth café in WA to serve Campos Coffee. We want to give our customers the chance to try and appreciate their great product too.”
The Hardware Store Café serves Campos Coffee’s Superior Blend on their Synesso Sabre three-group machine. This coffee has a toffee base with slight fruity highlights, a rich body and butterscotch finish. For peckish patrons, Head Chef Luke Pursell serves a full breakfast and lunch menu, including their Toolbox breakfast, the Hardware Hotdog, beef burger, and a fresh range of salads.
“I enjoy getting up at 5am and serving our customers each day, it’s very rewarding,” says Sean. “Come and listen to some classic rock beats and try some modern food and delicious coffee.”
