Coffee shop's plans to grow with community

New community space for Sarina creating a hub for sharing knowledge

New managers of Third Ground Coffee House at Sarina, brother and sister team Wesley and Skye Bailey, with owner Phil Marshman. Picture: Jorunn Lorenzen

SARINA podiatrist Phil Marshman and his wife Alexes are still rolling out the plans they formulated when they founded the Third Ground Coffee House in 2015.

The cafe has recently come under the management of brother and sister Skye and Wesley Bailey.

With a group of friends, its backyard is now being redesigned to be used as a community permaculture garden and space for workshops.

"The whole concept of this project is a place-making project,” Mr Marshman said, explaining that the 'third ground' represented the concept of a third space.

"The first space is where you live, your home; the second space is the place you spend most of your time, the workplace,” he said.

"The third space is this place where a community can come together.

"Where you can just walk in and see people you know and have great conversations.”

Mr Marshman said it was the type of space that was important for community resilience.

"Food and skills and knowledge hold societies together,” he said.

The coffee shop's backyard also will be a hub for sharing knowledge.

"People can see what they can produce in their backyard.”

As well, the group was looking at developing a school over the coming years, holding workshops for the community.

The idea is that anyone in the community has skills to share and especially practical skills like gardening and food preserving, which are often lost with consumerism.

The cafe also had an informal church service on Sunday that is open to public, Mr Marshman siad.

Ms Bailey said she was thrilled to be getting the opportunity to manage the cafe.

After spending time at the Gold Coast working as a barista, she, along with her brother, is now learning real life business skills.

are now learning real life business skills.

Originally published as Coffee shop's plans to grow with community