Coffee, house plants and sweet treats: The Northern Adelaide businesses bouncing back after Covid
Whether it was pushing through Covid or jumping at a chance in its aftermath, these are the businesses that are making waves in the north.
North & North East
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Northern suburbs residents celebrate small and locally owned businesses like no one else.
Local government areas like Playford, Salisbury and Tea Tree Gully are booming and predictions show the population of these growing regions are set to increase as entrepreneurs bounce out of the pandemic hardships.
And with more people comes opportunity – an opportunity noticed by some of the biggest investors in the country.
Ross Pelligra, from Pelligra Group, has made major investments into part of the northern suburbs as he stomps his footprint in the area with big business.
While the pandemic put the brakes on the plans of many looking to branch out, plenty threw caution to the wind and made savvy choices to take advantage of booming industries.
These are some of them fighting to take their chance.
Bazinga Trading Cards & Collectibles
751b Stockwell Road, Angaston & 10 Unity Way, Munno Para
Many of the impacts of Covid could never have been predicted, particularly an explosion in the popularity of collectable cards.
From an online influencer’s million dollar Pokemon cards to Lego love inspiring collectors, the collectibles industry has surged on the back of the pandemic.
Geoff Payne opened his Angaston store in March 2020 just as Covid was about to change the lives of business owners in the state.
But it did little to damp his immediate success and now, within two years, he’s opened another shop at Munno Para.
Mr Payne said Covid had offered the opportunity for everybody to not just take stock of their lives, but their collections - something that saw collectibles come roaring back into vogue in a more mainstream sense.
“Everybody was stuck at home and it just exploded with everybody going back through their old collections,” he said.
“Pokemon is nuts, but it’s not just that, it’s Dragonball Z, Yu Gi Oh, NBA, AFL, MLB - everything.”
Planted by Nicole
2C/42-48 Garden Terrace, Mawson Lakes
Nicole Dykes’s vibrant Mawson Lakes horticulture studio offers everything from monkey’s tail cactuses to Monstera Deliciosa.
As soon as you enter the store, you’ll see the walls are lined with healthy plants.
Ms Dykes said there was a wave of success and love for indoor plants.
“Lots of plant shops have opened since Covid, there’s been a real boom in the industry,” she said.
“Everybody has been getting really excited about house plants in the last few years.”
Ms Dykes’s foray into the business world came after a long apprenticeship in horticulture and a long-held desire to open her own shop.
“Opening my own business is something I’ve always wanted to do so that drive carried us through (the difficulties of Covid on businesses),” she said.
milk + honey
93 Wynn Vale Drive, Wynn Vale
What started as a takeaway coffee shop after Covid forced their hand has quickly morphed into one of the area’s favourite cafes.
With happy vibes and great coffee, milk + honey has the potential to transform into a City of Tea Tree Gully institution.
The menu caters for all with nutella + honeycomb waffles a favourite of the sweet tooth and a classic eggs benny offering a modern twist served on a croissant bun.
Frankie and the Grocer at St Agnes Shopping Centre
St Agnes Shopping Centre
Since opening in June last year, Frankie and the Grocer has shot to prominence and gathered a cult following.
Thanks to a strong online presence and offering different products to large grocery stores, Frankie and the Grocer has gone from strength-to-strength.
Owners Daniel and Amy Hosking have developed a consistent clientele, including their first ever customer who has become a regular since opening day on June 1, 2019 (the chocolate doughnuts and fresh zeppole can’t hurt).
Complete Caravan Solutions
158 Smart Road, St Agnes
Who could have predicted the caravan industry would benefit from Covid?
A pandemic caravan boom saw caravan sales skyrocket and Complete Caravan Solutions, which was registered from at the end of 2019, jumped at the opportunity.
Owner Luke Anderson and team provide caravan repairs from their St Agnes workshop as well as renovations for grey nomads and chic Millennials alike.
Viva La Vita Ristorante at Freeling
Hanson Street, Freeling
Starting a restaurant in October of 2019 would prove to be one of the most difficult challenges to face any small business.
But Viva La Vita Ristorante owner John Cavuoto took on the challenge and wrestled it like a slippery spaghetti you can’t get on your fork.
Two-and-a-half years later, the Freeling establishment is fast turning into an institution with homemade lasagnes just like grandma made, pizza, pasta and all the usual fare.
Specialty schnitzels are regularly rated as some of the best going around.
Sweet treats are also favoured with milkshakes, cakes and gelati loved by locals.
Crew Barber Co
Angle Vale Shopping Centre
From slick fades to stylist slits, Crew Barber Co have taken men’s hairdressing in the area to the next level.
The Angle Vale joint is favoured by grooms and their groomsmen and young kids putting their trust in the hands of the talented barbers.
Opening in March of 2020, the barber business managed to dodge the worst of Covid and enjoyed months of infection free SA to get kick started.
Now the crew has been dubbed as having the “best barbers in the north”.
The Coeliac Chef
Elizabeth North/Northern suburbs
Elizabeth North based home business The Coeliac Chef targets a niche, and targets it well.
Owner and chef Tania Stolpe is a sufferer of coeliac disease herself and wanted to provide other sufferers with delicious gluten free food with “flavour, texture and visual appeal”.
Ms Stolpe manages to run The Coeliac Chef alongside her day job as a chef at Ambrosia Kitchen at Semaphore.
It was something she began when Covid hit and knocked off the hours she spent in a professional kitchen.
What started out as a post-pandemic upstart has evolved into a well loved provider for coeliac sufferers.
Customer favourites include eclairs, cakes, mac and cheese, tarts, pies and curries.
“At the moment it’s a part-time business but my goal is to have my own commercial kitchen and shopfront/cafe and run it fulltime,” Ms Stolpe said.
Samir Barbershop
100 Philip Highway, Elizabeth South
Sleek cuts with style and swag to go are on offer at Samir Barbershop.
While Crew Barber Co may lay their own claims to the best barbers in the north, Samir Barbershop is another contender.
The shop boasts a five-star review online and loyal customers regularly comment about how loved the place is.
Old school vibes and red and blue barber shop poles reminiscent of yesteryear ensure visitors to the establishment don’t forget their experience.
Bean2Heaven
Mobile coffee van, often Port River Expressway, markets
Aleysha Edwards’s decision to start slinging coffees from her van near the end of 2019 had the potential to turn sour as Covid hit.
But more than two years later, Bean2Heaven is going as strongly as ever.
Ms Edwards’s positive attitude comes through when she regularly posts stunning sunrise shots from the Port River Expressway in the early hours of the morning – just when commuters are desperate for a hot drink.
She was even able to see the bright side of things when SA was locked down in July of 2021 and the van was deemed non-essential (yeah, right!).
Lacking a coffee supply, Ms Edwards delivered a doggo hit with a video of a gorgeous black Labrador drinking a puppuccino.
Badger & Bones Cafe
4/20 Canterbury Drive, Salisbury Heights
Badger & Bones has, in the space of just more than one year, revolutionised the cafe scene at Salisbury Heights.
Tucked just off Main North Road, the cafe opened in April last year and quickly garnered a cult following thanks to its playful atmosphere and welcoming vibes.
The team has others initiative on the go with seniors' lunches, pasta nights and parties regularly on the agenda.
The cafe is often shouted out for being “community minded” and its faith in loyal followers is duly rewarded.
Sorrento Pizza Bar
57 Andrew Smith Drive, Parafield Gardens
Ask Sorrento Pizza Bar owners Andrew and Kelly Hody why they went into the pizza business and they’ll give you a simple answer.
They wanted to make some dough.
The couple took the reigns of the popular pizza spot last year and have already turned it into one of the most proactive businesses at Parafield Gardens.
They’re happy-go-lucky and always up for a pun or dad joke along the way to serving hot pizza pie from their Andrew Smith Drive shop.
Wild Craft Studio
Gallery 1855, Haines Road, Tea Tree Gully
Securing a spot at the magnificent Gallery 1855 at Tea Tree Gully was the cherry on top for founder Camille Renee.
While still in its infancy, Wild Art Studio has made an immediate splash in the local area with keen customers flocking to try out the seven craft classes on offer.
These include jewellery making, wood carving and pottery – all of which are proving popular.
Woodcarver Dave Sjoberg takes the wood classes while respected jeweller Gioialleria takes control of the jewellery making.
Hopestreet Cafe & Op Shop
45 Peachey Road, Davoren Park
More a social enterprise than a business, Hopestreet Cafe & Op Shop at Davoren Park provides support as much as it does sustenance.
What was once just a loved op shop was transformed to include the cafe which offers a budget-priced menu and tasty coffee.
All proceeds from both the cafe and op shop go towards supporting the Hope Street charity youth programs in Playford.
The Bird Hut Bakery
Craigmore/Northern suburbs
This wholly-vegan baking business has been operating for a year and is starting to make waves.
Owner Jessica Walker works hard to sell her fares across several northern markets and offers customers the chance to order from an online website.
From hot-cross buns, rocky road and donuts to cookies and mouth watering cupcakes, it’s no wonder the Craigmore-based enterprise is fast becoming a vegan favourite.
Cute fondant decorated cupcakes are a regularly sold-out highlight.
Benevolent Delights
Eyre/Northern suburbs
As if cookies weren’t good enough, the husband and wife team at Benevolent Delights has taken them to another level – by stuffing them.
The idea to make an already gluttonous treat even more gluttonous had paid off in spades for Erin and Michael Surnak.
The duo started selling the cookies, and treat boxes, earlier this year and have already made an impression with a pop-up store at The Grove going gangbusters each week and selling out.
This up-and-coming business is one to keep on the radar.
Miss Five
Corner of Old Port Wakefield Road &, Brady St, Virginia SA 5120
Miss Five looks like a slice of downtown Miami, but delivers some of the best Vietnamese food north of Adelaide.
After opening early last year at Virginia, the restaurant has fast attracted a loyal clientele keen to get their hands on pho, noodles, bao and everything in between.
The chance taken by the owners and manager Trang Nguyen was buoyed by a recent announcement the main street of Virginia would be undergoing a $9m upgrade.
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