A cafe residing in one of the Whitsundays most iconic locations has found new owners, with the duo already proving they have what it takes to take the eatery ‘to the next level’.
The idyllic location of Horseshoe Bay, in Bowen, holds one of the most beautiful beaches in the region.
Now new owners of the cafe located on the beach, Jill and David Paddon, hope to use the stunning beachfront to not only wow locals and residents alike, but bring the region’s produce ‘directly to the plate’.
The duo are no strangers to successful business, having run the Kiosk Cafe at Coral Sea Marina in Airlie Beach for the past six year, which Mr Paddon said has seen ‘growth three times over’ in that time.
He said the couple had been looking for a new location for over 12 months, and thought Horseshoe Bay was the perfect location.
“We wanted somewhere in an iconic location, off a main street and somewhere people would love to go,” he said.
“We spoke to dozens of people about what they would like to see there, and the enthusiasm for the location and what we are proposing has been overwhelmingly positive.
“You talk to people in Airlie Beach and even they have such a connection to Horseshoe Bay and travel up for the day. It’s an amazing location.”
Plans for the cafe include a focus on local produce, ‘substantial breakfasts’, fast takeaway food for ‘those in a rush’ and the planned introduction of a dinner service.
Mr Paddon said he would like to see ‘a little bit of Bowen’ on every plate, and wanted to highlight the quality of produce coming out of the region.
“Even if it’s just a mango sauce on a salad, we really want to put a touch of Bowen in every dish,” he said.
“We will be using premium, quality produce and the area is known for producing some of the best.”
The duo also have plans to make the venue a ‘kick-off’ location, with live music introduced on a Sunday afternoon and beers and wine available.
Mr Paddon said the ongoing secret to success would be listening to their customers, and moving with their suggestions.
“We have a lot of five star reviews on TripAdvisor, and we are always listening to the reviews about how we can improve,” he said.
“We know it will take a couple of years to build it up, but we’re so excited by the opportunity and can’t wait to tackle it.”
The cafe will be called The Horseshoe Bay Cafe, with plans to be open at the start of March.
Source: Whitsunday Times.
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