West End cafe icon Three Monkeys closes as Covid-19 claims another victim
An iconic West End cafe that was in the vanguard of Brisbane’s burgeoning coffee culture in the 1990s has closed its doors after more than three decades in business.
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West End‘s iconic Three Monkeys Coffee & Teahouse is the latest Covid-19 victim, closing its doors after more than three decades in business.
The cafe, which was founded in 1990, shut down the day following Valentine’s Day after border closures and lockdowns decimated trade.
Three Monkeys billed itself as the city’s “most atmospheric eatery” and was in the vanguard of the development of Brisbane’s cafe culture after Expo 88.
Worrells liquidator Nikhil Khatri says border restrictions and lockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic had impacted the business.
Khatri says he is seeking buyers of the assets of the business including its name and intellectual property. Creditors are owed an estimated $75,000.
“It is a Brisbane icon well known for its rustic charm and unique décor,” says Khatri. “It has been a staple meeting spot for decades with many locals and tourists over the years and was one of the few cafes in Brisbane which stayed open late into the night.”
Khatri says the director of the company that operated the cafe has advised him that the reason for the company’s insolvency was primarily inadequate working capital and the downturn in the industry.
The cafe was originally started to serve the students living in the three houses above the premises and surrounding boarding homes.
In 1995, the cafe expanded into the courtyard and across into adjoining rooms. The Three Monkeys also was “the place to be” after a show at the Performing Arts Centre, often staying open past 2am to accommodate the performers.
The closure of Three Monkeys comes only weeks after coffee king Phillip Di Bella warned hundreds of cafes will go broke within months as customer numbers plummet due to Covid-19 fears.
Di Bella, the boss of Bowen Hills-based Coffee Commune, says that the current trading environment for the hospitality sector was worse than during the height of the lockdowns experienced in 2020.
“We supply to about 850 cafes and other outlets and half of those have seen their turnover and foot traffic plummet by between 50 and 70 percent,” says Di Bella. ”A lot of businesses will not survive the next six months.”
Coffee shops emerged as vital community hubs during the early stages of the pandemic shutdowns, joining a resurgence of cafe culture in the “burbs.” But the ongoing restrictions placed pressure on both costs and foot traffic.
Di Bella took aim at the mixed messages being sent by officials during the pandemic, in particular Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk who he said despite warning people not to go out in public has been seen at numerous events including the Magic Million, fireworks, football matches and in Townsville.
A spokesperson for the Premier clarified she had not told everyone to stay at home during the current wave but that “vulnerable people such as the elderly and those with medical conditions to limit their contact with others.” “The Premier has actually encouraged young and fully vaccinated people to support small and local businesses,” the spokesperson said.
NOTHING TO DISPAIR
Woombye artisan spirit makers Sunshine & Sons have launched a new rum with a name to suit the times - Nil Desperandum or Latin for ‘nothing to despair’.
It’s the first time an Australian rum has been made using home grown, certified organic molasses. The premium ‘single malt of rums’ has been hand crafted to take direct aim at the big rum guns of Queensland and to put Woombye on the rum map.
It seems the team at Nil Desperandum may have hit the right note with most of the first batch of the $180/bottle of the premium Jamaican-style rum snapped up on launch day earlier this month.
Several exporters have also secured stock which will see Queensland’s newest tipple served in bars in New York and the spiritual home of rum, Jamaica.
The only thing missing from the 180 rum lover strong celebration to open the first bottle of the super fine rum was cola.
Head distiller, and the only Australian to hold and instruct WSET Level 3 Award in Spirits and Wine, Adam Chapman explained to the crowd the only thing you need to add to pure and organic rum is big block of ice.
Holding up the bar at the launch were Nil Desperandum founder Matt Hobson and his successful serial hospitality and brewing entrepreneur partner, Michael Conrad.
Alliance Airline’s Scott McMillan, and Ord Minnet’s Karl Morris are both big fans and we are reliably told have bottles of safely under lock and key.
The spirited group also raised $22,222 buying 222 special Nil Desperandum mini bottles with all the proceeds donated to STEPS Pathway College.
The question is who do you back to win the premium Queensland rum wars that’s brewing -Woombye v Beenleigh v Bundaberg? My money is on the rum!
BIG GUNS
THE boys at Muscle Nation have ticked off another win.
The Brisbane-based activewear, health foods and supplements company, started by Nathaniel Anthony and Chris Anastasi in 2016, has teamed up with The Coffee Club to release a new Coffee Protein Smoothie.
Their smoothie is powered by Muscle Nation’s vanilla protein powder and blended with fresh bananas and coffee. Anthony says the new Coffee Protein Smoothie will be available in 300 Coffee Clubs Australia wide.
He says he has a connection with the business with his mother Maria owning three Coffee Clubs.
“The Coffee Club has been part of my family’s life for a long time now, my brothers and I worked at our mum’s Coffee Clubs throughout the years before I started Muscle Nation with Chris,” he says.
“We’ve donated to The Coffee Club Telethon every year since 2017.”
Muscle Nation, which had an annual turnover of $51m in 2020/21 was recently named as the winner of the Coles Product Launch of the Year Award 2021 following its debut across 830 stores nationwide.
The company has 100 full time and casual staff, and has launched more than 1000 different products, selling into more than 300 supplements stores around Australia and New Zealand, and shipping to over 150 countries worldwide.
GOING VIRAL
Fast growing Queensland 3D modelling company, Spatial Media, has gone viral in Canada after they visualised the environmental impact of the country’s controversial “freedom convoy”.
Spatial Media, founded in Brisbane, created an interactive map of how Canada’s trucking protest, which has been rallying against vaccine mandates, affected noise levels, air quality and traffic closures.
The map overlays colour-coded data onto a 3D model of the city Ottawa, allowing users to see the protest’s impact. The project became a talking point in North America.
Spatial’s team were featured on major Canadian broadcast news and the story was even Tweeted by legendary Canadian Author Margaret Atwood, who famously wrote The Handmaid’s Tale.
Spatial recently entered the Canadian market but has a large presence in Australia, working on projects like Brisbane’s second runway, Sunshine Coast’s Mass Transit project and Sydney’s “Third City” project.
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