Pattysmiths success: New Rocky store the best in the company

‘We didn’t think it would be this big, I thought it would go well but not this well.’

A holiday to America and enjoying the country’s iconic cuisine inspired Leah Hosemann to bring something similar back home to Rockhampton.

That idea finally came to life four years later when she opened eatery Pattysmiths last month in the former Coffee Club building on George Street.

“We were having Shake Shack, In and Out, all of this delicious food… Then I came back and I thought we didn’t have something like that here,” Leah said.

“I always had my eyes open and was thinking about what could we do here.”

The new business has been a boost for the complex as the Coffee Club site has been vacant since 2017.

“It was empty for a long time, it needed something to bring people here,” Leah said.

“It’s just awesome to see the carpark full again, the TAB is happy, the pharmacy is happy, ASN, they are getting the customers as well.”

As for Pattysmiths itself, the store has been smashing it in sales and is the best store in Australia across the company, compared to around a dozen stores.

“We didn’t think it would be this big, I thought it would go well but not this well,” Leah said.

The Rockhampton store is also the first to trial in dine-in seating, as the other franchises are more a grab and go style.

It also has a “dark kitchen”, with the Alabama Chicken Wings and Supreme Leader brands on the menu as well.

Leah’s mantra is she wants everyone to have a good experience - not just the customers but also the staff.

“We have had 90 per cent good feedback, obviously there have been some teething issues like with any new business,” Leah said.

“In our first week we would blow out to 50 minute waits just because there were so many orders, now we will have the same amount of orders but only get to 20 minutes.

“They are streamlining it and getting better.

“The staff are awesome, they are picking it up well.”

The new business has employed 20-25 team members and for some, it is their first job or first time working in hospitality.

“I wanted to hire based on personality, not experience,” Leah said.

“Everything is documented and mapped out, so it is really easy to learn, you can’t teach someone personality.

“I used to be in that loop of no experience, trying to get experience, you don’t get the job because you have no experience.

“I think it has been good for boosting Rocky as well, 25 more jobs means that they can then spend their money in town.”

With the success of her first store, Leah has her heart set on expanding and opening more stores.

MORE FOOD STORIES

There have been a few new food businesses pop up recently with the likes of a new Indian takeaway, a juice bar at Stockland and a pasta restaurant in the works.

Read about the new ventures here:

New Musgrave St venue adds another cuisine to the block
New eatery to open on Dean Street, jobs on offer
New juice store to open at Stockland Rockhampton

Morning Bulletin subscribers, don’t forget to activate your Courier Mail subscription.
READ MORE: How to activate free Courier Mail subscription

Originally published as Pattysmiths success: New Rocky store the best in the company