Brisbane burger bar goes gangbusters and expands to the northside for hungry customers
A Brisbane burger restaurant is expanding to feed its customers who drive from the Gold Coast and other side of the city to enjoy the daily fresh ingredients. SEE THE VIDEO
Ipswich
Don't miss out on the headlines from Ipswich. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It’s been a true rags to riches story for Grubbies Burgers and Hawaiian BBQ owner Ben Niumata, who’s gone from selling burgers off a grill in an Ipswich courtyard, to the prospect of opening up a national fast food chain.
Mr Niumata has announced the brand will expand to a second store in Strathpine, to feed his north Brisbane customers who have been making the journey to his Redbank Plains outlet for more than a year.
The plan — establish Strathpine and then expand further to the Gold Coast and even nationwide.
Specialising in burgers and Hawaiian BBQ platters, the popularity of Grubbies has gone “bonkers” said Mr Niumata, blown away with the lines continuing to stretch out the door 15 months on from opening.
While the Redbank Plains store on Kruger Pde is a ‘hole in the wall’, the Strathpine store will be 140 square metres with indoor and outdoor dining.
On its Facebook page announcing the Strathpine store’s September opening, Grubbies had 427 likes, 174 comments and 55 shares on its post.
Fifteen months ago Mr Niumata went out on a limb with little to no money and leased out the empty shop at Redbank Plains, completing a full fit-out in the process.
“I used to sell burgers off the back of a grill in a courtyard in Ipswich,” Mr Niumata said.
“It went crazy, we were selling 200 burgers in 40 minutes at the back of this grill.
“It was probably one of the worst hardships I’ve been through in my life and it took us seven months since I signed the lease to open Redbank Plains.
“When we opened we had lines stretching around the building
“It’s normal when a new place opens up, there’s a bit of buzz but it’s been 15 months and those lines still haven’t gone.
“It’s been over a year now and we’re still selling out most nights.
“Currently we’re doing 1.2 tonnes a week in meat, 5.5 tonnes of fries alone.”
The number of burgers sold is capped to 400-500 on weekdays and 600-700 on weekends, on account of all the ingredients delivered fresh each morning, nothing is made the day before or comes frozen.
There are currently 12 jobs available for the Strathpine shop, with every kitchen station individually manned.
“Through the hardships this journey has been amazing,” Mr Niumata said.
“We’ve gone bonkers on social media but in the actual media I don’t think there’s been a light shone on us.
“Now it’s time for us to expand because our little store is getting pumped.
“We get a tonne of people coming to our store from the northside and the Gold Coast.
“The atmosphere with the live music and music we play, kids running around, it’s a beautiful atmosphere.
“My life has completely changed for me and my family.
“I threw everything at it, every single cent I had.”
Email info@grubbiesburgers.com to apply.
Alleged sexual predator denies luring boys to ‘teen paradise’
A travelling biscuit salesman on trial for an alleged child sex crime has denied accusations he created an “adult-free paradise” for boys to “cut loose” at his properties in rural Queensland.
Drink or drug drivers taken off Toowoomba roads in July
Live list: Each month, dozens of Toowoomba drivers front court for drink or drug driving. Here’s a list of locals who’ve lost their licences for the offence so far this month.