Mixed business is not a newcomer to the southern end of the coast, with several establishments opening in the past couple of years: Café 28 Coolie at Boardriders (surf shop, café and music venue), JR’s Smokehouse at Sunhouse (BBQ restaurant, surf shop and espresso bar), Espresso Moto (espresso bar, café and bike shop) and now Iron & Resin Garage.
In a space once occupied by a car yard, two PBC local guys, Luke Young and Bruce Robson, have opened the first Iron & Resin concept outlet in Australia. It’s a store offering something different – clothing and industrial homewares by local craftsman ‘Frankly all by hand’ – the ultimate gift shop for bike-loving guys.
To extend the idea of concept outlet to ‘social destination’, the guys opened an espresso bar serving Will & Co Beans coffee, the latest hip brand from Bondi Beach. Stepping out once more from the crowd, they’re the only Gold Coast distributors of this smooth, easy-drinking but full-bodied brew, served from their own custom-made espresso machine. It’s a steampunk wonder!
“This place is turning into its own monster,” Luke tells us, adding that they’re taking things slowly, testing the market, evaluating as the place evolves.
The push to sell food has been appeased for now by a rotation of food trucks on Sundays, feeding the crowd who come to enjoy the live music Sunday session. On the day we visited, Jerry Wilks was there with his truck The Dapper and Chic, selling Cajun-inspired street food. The poboy beer-battered king prawns were something else, served on a bun with pear slaw and mousseline.
(NOTE: Since this review, Iron & resin has opened its own very successful kitchen in the venue.)
“This place is really all about bikes,” Luke tells us. “The garage opened with a gentleman’s ride for prostate cancer – about 220 bikes with their riders dressed in suits!”
Don’t think ‘bikies’, though! It’s home to classic touring, vintage bikes and Mad Max classics. Luke adds that the garage has become a hangout for young families and hipster riders and families with young children who take pride in their bikes and community lifestyle.
So, why choose Currumbin as the locale?
“This is a thoroughfare for bikes going into the valley for a weekend ride,” Luke tells us. “Out the back we’re planning a community garage where guys can come and work on their bikes. It’s all about having a place to drop in and stay for a while.”
“We’re also hosting events: an art show in December 2015 of Richard Harvey’s ‘70s surfing photographs. Then, in January there’s the launch of Geoff Wilson’s book. He’s the World Record holder for the fastest crossing of Antarctica coast to coast on a wind-powered sled to raise money for the McGrath Foundation. In the pipeline is the team’s upcoming flight of a pink hot air balloon to the highest free-range height in Australia.” (Luke is talking about the Pink Apollo Project, where Wilson and his 5th Element Expedition team will fly a 13-storey high pink hot air balloon to 40,000 ft to attempt to raise $1 million for the McGrath Foundation’s 10th anniversary.
With the Iron & Resin Garage such a great little location, we’re sure that the venue will also become home to many more community-minded events. In the meantime, we must check out the Sunday sess…
6 Stewart Rd., Currumbin Ph: 07 5659 2166 Open: Mon – Fri 6am – 3pm; Sat – Sun 7am – 2pm