Overlooking Coolangatta beach, smack bang in the middle of our two most famous surf breaks, Kirra and Snapper Rocks, Quiksilver’s flagship destination store in The Strand is the first of its kind in Australia; a concept store perfectly suited to the Cooly lifestyle.
Diversified business was a growing trend in eateries in 2015. Diversification can arise by businesses sharing common goals, subletting part of a store’s space to share the rent, or by maximising facilities during different hours, all of which can result in market traction for both businesses. Only an elite few, Boardriders being the best example, envision a complete lifestyle destination store from the beginning.
Café 28 Cooly is the dining and entertainment part of the Boardriders retail store. Serving a modest range of unpretentious fare for their all-day breakfast and lunch (Bacon and egg sangas, Avo mash, and Ham-cheese-tomato melts from $5 – $13; Share boards $20), juices and protein-based smoothies augment the basic menu of staples.
But their not-so-shabby coffee is a different matter. It’s a sustainable blend direct-trade sourced bean from Syndicate Espresso, roasted to order by Melbourne-based Clark Street Roasters. With overtones of nuts, cocoa, caramel and complex fruits, it’s a brew to satisfy most palates. Prefer cold drip? It’s happening over there on the back counter.
The eye candy within sight for surfers is the revolving carousel of surfboards mounted above head height as well as the eye-catching surf footage shown on the huge screen. The showcase shop for Quiksilver and Roxy surfwear and DC shoes is just through the glass doors, along with Uppercut Deluxe Barber shop. Grab some wholesome food with a piping hot coffee after the surf, chill out with friends over a cold beer and snacks…all the while the surf rolls, beside you on the screen and over beyond the street and gleaming sand.
Café 28 Cooly is also licensed. Happy Hour on Friday from 5pm – 7pm begins the weekend’s festivities with the bar serving $4 tap beers and house wine, while the café ramp up its fare with burgers trotted out to fill empty tums. On the stage beside the café the action is about to begin, with three bands playing in the venue on any given Friday night.
To see Café 28 Cooly as merely a coffee shop is simplistic. It’s far more than that! It’s a unique place which celebrates all things ‘Cooly surf’.
“We come together to live the moments,” says the inscription on one pillar.
It’s foundational. From portraits of the Quiky (Quiksilver) and Roxy Pro winners adorning one wall beside footage of them conquering the world’s great pipelines, to the apparel and needs of its culture, those moments are inscribed on every item under this roof.
Quiksilver has come a long way since their 1969 ‘Puberty Blues’ beginnings. This is as neat a complete lifestyle destination shop as you could ever hope to see! Get the surf generation in through the front doors, and they’ll find so many reasons to stay and play. Everything they need is here. Why would they choose to go anywhere else!
72-80 Marine Parade, Coolangatta Ph: 07 5599 5551
Open: Mon – Thurs 7am – 6pm; Fri – Sun 7am – 9pm
This review has also been published on Blank GC.