At New Town Greenstore Café, no one comes through the original Huon pine doors without receiving a warm welcome.
We sat down with owner Cathy, who, with her partner in business, Gary, has served the New Town community good coffee and nourishing food for over 12 years.
“We do a great coffee, supplied by de Lacey Coffee Roasters in Moonah, and we are very big on tea – no tea bags, it’s proper loose-leaf tea here.” At Greenstore, there is a real focus on using fresh, local and organic produce. The menu is packed with hearty home-style dishes topped with herbs from Cathy’s onsite veggie garden.
“We only use organic veggies in our soup of the day special and we also make our own organic juices.
“Most of our produce is sourced locally, with some coming directly from our customers – our eggs come from Molesworth, our pumpkins and carrots are from the Huon, and our honey comes from the son of one of our longstanding customers.” Extra produce is then sold directly to customers in-store.
There is a strong sense of community at Greenstore Café. Cathy grew up in New Town and the tables aren’t numbered but are named after the local streets where she can remember riding her bike as a kid (I.e., Pedder and Montagu).
Cathy wears her heart on her sleeve and is a value-driven person – extending care and consideration to her customers, mostly in the form of a good conversation.
“A lot of people come by themselves; some people are shy to eat out alone but here it doesn’t make any difference.”
It’s clear from the progressive titles in Cathy’s little library that she is up for a robust conversation and does not shy away from championing the causes she is passionate about.
“It [the little library] has really become a hit! Customers can borrow one of my books and I love chatting to them about the literature when they come back in.”
Cathy believes we are seeing a return to the community-focused high street.
“It’s great to see New Town Road evolving over time and the recent retail precinct upgrade means the strip is returning to a walkable street.” She is a passionate advocate for shopping locally and supporting small business.
“The small shop has a future, they contribute to the soul of our community, and I want to encourage people to visit their local, whether it be a café (like ours!), a butcher or their newsagent.
“We don’t want to lose the local shop in Australia.”
The New Town Greenstore Café is open Monday to Friday from 7:30am until 5pm and Saturdays from 7:30am until 4pm.
