Erin Reddan opens new cafe Swing By and Channon, Mary St shop

After 15 years working in cafes across the Gympie region and Sunshine Coast, Erin Reddan has decided it is time to try her own hand at steering the ship. Check out the video:

Gympie woman Erin Reddan has been a staff fixture at two different cafes that have occupied the same space at the corner of Channon and Mary Streets in the past year.

Now, it is her turn to be the boss.

Ms Reddan has thrown open the doors of her new venture - Swing By - established in the space that has hosted other popular cafes including The Korner and Grace and Whiskers.

The space had been closed up for several months, with Grace and Whiskers shutting in February, 2022.

Launching her own venture was a natural step in what has now become a 15-year-long run in the hospitality industry, from working in kitchens, to Subway “for lots of years” before travelling.

Erin Reddan, is taking a shot at being the boss for the first time in her 15 years working in hospitality, launching the Swing By cafe in Gympie.

Then came a stint at Novotel Twin Waters for six years.

“That was a pretty expansive learning experience,” Ms Reddan said.

“From there I came here (to Gympie in 2020).

“After Grace and Whiskers closed down I found myself working for three different people and I thought, ‘well … after 15 years in the industry it’s probably a great time to try something myself’.

She soon discovered being her own boss was “a new wild world”.

“It’s really cool. I really enjoy it.”

Outside of time spent in the cafe Ms Reddan has a border collie she spends “pretty much every waking moment I’m not here with” and is also a pretty keen gardener “which is why there’s so much greenery in here”.

The outdoors was a nice place to be, she said.

Erin Reddan has worked multiple cafes which have called the shop at the corner of Mary and Channon streets home, including The Korner and Grace and Whiskers.

“I do enjoy a good camp, (but) I haven’t been camping for a while.

“I actually just camped for the first time in Splendour in the mud … that’s my latest camping experience.”

Ms Redden was grateful to The Bunker and Grace and Whiskers owners Jared and Lauren Dangley for the support they had given her over the years.

“Without them I wouldn’t be able to do it,” she said.

The name was picked to be an apt description of the experience she hoped to create.

“It’s a little a takeaway place, you just swing by, say hello, grab a coffee, something to eat, and then enjoy the rest of your day.

“It’s not a place to come down and sit for a full meal. It really is just grab a coffee and say hello.”