June 12, 2017
When Cooyar couple Glenn and Jenny Keen dropped into the Timbertowns Cafe in Yarraman a few months ago for a quick cup of coffee, they never dreamed they’d walk out owning the business.
But that’s exactly what happened … and for the past six weeks, Yarraman residents and visitors who pull off the D’Aguilar Highway near the town’s war memorial have been able to enjoy what is now called the Farmhouse Coffee Lounge.
Glenn and Jenny said they bought the business because they were “just bored” with retirement.
The couple had owned a weekender at Cooyar for many years, and when they retired had planned to make it their home base while they followed the grey nomad route around the country.
But after 18 months of discovering that Australia is made up of isolated pockets of interest separated by hundreds of kilometres of boredom, they were ready for a new challenge.
And when they found out the Timbertowns Cafe was on the market, they leapt at the opportunity.
The interior of the former cafe has now been extensively renovated, and features a cosy lounge room as well as a more traditional table and chair dining area.
Guests can also eat on the coffee lounge’s verandah if they prefer, or dine al fresco in the front yard – a popular option in the cooler months for patrons who enjoy the winter sun.
The coffee lounge’s menu is still being expanded, Jenny said, but right now it offers Di Bella coffee and specialty teas along with freshly-prepared burgers, schnitzels, hot dogs, made to order sandwiches and children’s meals.
Naturally, coffee lounge favourites like raisin toast, eggs on toast, bacon and eggs and brekkie rolls are also available, along with milkshakes and soft drinks.
The coffee lounge is also air-conditioned for year-round comfort and it’s pet-friendly, too.
Glenn said that so far the reaction from Yarraman residents has been very positive, and some customers even said they thought the coffee lounge had raised the town’s standards a little bit.
“I suppose this might be a bit fancier than Yarraman may have seen before,” Glenn said.
“But we wanted to build a welcoming place where people could come and relax, and we think that’s a good thing to want to do for your customers.”
Right at the moment the coffee lounge is finding the best hours to operate.
But it’s open most days, and people who’d like to drop in are very welcome to phone ahead on (07) 4163-8638 to confirm the doors will be open for them when they arrive.
Looks great. Hope it goes well for you!
Thank you Rob
Thank you, Dafyd, for the very well-written story, all we want is to serve our customers with the best coffee and the freshest food we can.