Smoooth Juice Cafe closes Yaamba Road store after suspicious fire

A sign posted to the door of the Rockhampton northside states “from Tuesday 28th March the store will no longer operate”. Here’s what we know.

Smoooth Juice Cafe have closed their northside store on Yaamba Road.

A closed sign remains hung on the door of another Rockhampton cafe.

A poster has been stuck to the door of the Smoooth Juice Cafe northside store stating “from Tuesday, March 28 the store will no longer operate”.

The cafe opened in the Highway Palms Complex on Yaamba Road (near Emmaus College) in October 2020, followed by a second cafe on the southside in July 2022.

A sign posted to the door of the northside Smoooth Juice Cafe.

The southside store on George Street had a fire on March 12.

Emergency services were called to reports of the fire at 4.15am and crews quickly extinguished the building.

Furniture and equipment can be seen still inside the northside Smoooth Juice Cafe.

Initial investigations by police have indicated the fire was deliberately lit and is being treated suspicious.

A fire was reported at Smoooth Juice Cafe on George Street, Rockhampton, on March 12, 2023. Picture: Pamela McKay

On Tuesday (March 28), investigations were still ongoing. No charges have been laid and the owners aren‘t accused of any wrongdoing.

The cafe remains closed.

The southside store had been closed for repairs at the time of the fire, after a massive electrical surge and loss of air conditioning.

The fire-damaged building remains closed, with smoke marks seen from the outside.

Smoke damage at the rear of the building.

The Facebook pages for both stores have disappeared.

The northside store still has tables and chairs inside with equipment in the kitchen.

The stores offered healthy food options from smoothies, juice, wraps, sandwiches, raw treats as well as loaded burgers.

The company was owned by Sandra Rowcliffe, who operated it with her son, Brett Paul.

Photos of the Smoooth Juice Cafe food on their social media.

A number of hospitality businesses have closed around Rockhampton and Yeppoon in recent months including Dingles Cafe, Blue Leaf Takeaway, Harley Davidson Cafe (Coffee and Chrome Coffee Shop) and Jolt Bakery Cafe in the old Rockhampton Post Office.

Waterfront Seafood Bar & Grill also closed on March 6 with no warning to customers who dined there on the last night or on social media.

The owner, Jason Watkins, has since filed bankruptcy owing creditors more than $700,000.