Cuisine on Bowen closes over weekend but Cuisine To Go’s catering continues
After surviving floods, the pandemic and roadworks, a beloved Townsville cafe has closed over the weekend. Find out why the difficult decision was made.
After weathering numerous challenges including floods, road works and the pandemic, the staff behind a Rosslea cafe have said their goodbyes to loyal patrons as they pivot towards their catering business.
Nancy Williams took over the Cuisine To Go catering business 21 years ago, and with manager Sharon Cameron, they relocated from the Townsville Golf Club to 53 Bowen Rd, where they opened sister business/ cafe Cuisine on Bowen in 2015.
Over the last decade, the cafe has offered breakfast and lunch menus featuring a delectable selection of homestyle cakes, accompanied by a full selection of teas and barista-made fair trade coffee.
In a post to social media on Friday, Cuisine on Bowen revealed that they made a “difficult and heartfelt decision” to cease trading on Sunday, November 30.
“As our catering arm continues to steam ahead and grow beyond expectations, it has become no longer sustainable to operate both areas at the level of excellence we insist upon,” they said.
“While this decision has not been easy, it will enable us to focus more time and energy on providing exceptional catering options to our new and existing clients.
“Goodbyes are the worst, and this one comes with many emotions. We are incredibly proud to have created a space where friends and family could meet, share great food, celebrate moments, and enjoy each other’s company.”
They invited customers to come in over the weekend and “dine together one last time and give our cafe the send off it truly deserves”.
While disappointed to call time on their cafe venture, Ms Cameron was surprised by how long it had survived after enduring the 2019 floods, the pandemic, two years of road works at the Bowen Road Bridge, as well as being located in an area with a questionable reputation.
“I was probably a bit more stubborn than anyone else because I feel like it was my baby,” Ms Cameron said.
“We’re in an environment now where the right staff are hard to find … (and) the cafe doesn’t get enough foot traffic because we’re in Rosslea.”
She emphasised that their catering business Cuisine to Go, was “going well and strong”, and would be their focus from now on, with the cafe’s staff being redeployed into that business.
Farewell message from The Cuisine on Bowen Team
Dear valued customers,
After opening our doors in November 2015 and enjoying many wonderful years together, we have made the difficult and heartfelt decision to close our beloved cafe.
At Cuisine, our aim has always been to consistently provide the highest standards to our customers.
As our catering arm continues to steam ahead and grow beyond expectations, it has become no longer sustainable to operate both areas at the level of excellence we insist upon.
While this decision has not been easy, it will enable us to focus more time and energy on providing exceptional catering options to our new and existing clients.
Goodbyes are the worst, and this one comes with many emotions.
We are incredibly proud to have created a space where friends and family could meet, share great food, celebrate moments, and enjoy each other’s company.
The memories made within these walls are ones we will always cherish.
Our last day of trade in the cafe will be Sunday, November 30. We warmly invite you to come in before then so we can dine together one last time and give our cafe the send off it truly deserves.
From all of us at Cuisine on Bowen, we thank you – for your loyalty, your laughter, your support, and for being part of our story.
We look forward to continuing to serve you through our catering offerings and hope to be part of many more special occasions in the future.
With gratitude,
The Cuisine on Bowen Team.
Originally published as Cuisine on Bowen closes over weekend but Cuisine To Go’s catering continues
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