Beaudesert’s Teaspoons and Aprons Cafe owner Shinade Harper dedicates business to Karlie Cassidy

A popular Scenic Rim cafe has been reopened a month after the owner tragically took her own life following shock claims she was subjected to years of bullying.

Cafe staff member Tanya Townend (left) and owner Shinade Harper are paying tribute to a dear friend who recently passed away.

One month after a popular cafe owner tragically took her own life, her best friend has stepped up to reopen the Scenic Rim business as a tribute to late mother of three Karlie Cassidy.

Karlie’s parents, Dave and Sharene Cassidy, have given their daughter’s best friend, Shinade Harper, their blessing to reopen Teaspoons & Aprons as a tribute to their daughter.

Sharene Cassidy previously spoke out about her daughter, who opened Teaspoons & Aprons cafe at Beaudesert, claiming she had been subjected to years of bullying before the tragedy on July 6.

Ms Harper, also a Beaudesert local, was best friends with Karlie and last month set up a GoFundMe to assist Karlie’s three boys; aged 2, 4, and 9.

Ms Harper said putting her own life on hold to reopen the cafe and pay tribute to her best friend was the easiest decision in the world.

“We reopened with all of the same staff on Monday August 2,” Ms Harper said.

Shinade Harper (left) has taken on the cafe once owned by her best friend the late Karlie Cassidy.

“We were supposed to have our memorial week for Karlie on our first week but we couldn’t because of the lockdown.”

The cafe’s tribute to Karlie started on Wednesday, with a memorial week.

“It will be an opportunity for the public to express their sorrow and well wishes for Karlie’s family,” Ms Harper said.

“We will have a condolence book, fresh sunflowers, stickers, and cookies for sale with the proceeds going towards supporting Karlie’s beautiful boys.

“We miss her dearly and hope we can make her proud.”

Holding back tears, Ms Harper said the community had been outraged by the tragedy and everyone was supportive of the cafe reopening in Karlie’s honour.

“Karlie’s boys are doing okay,” she said.

“What (Karlie’s parents) really want is awareness. They want people to understand that online bullying and cyber-bullying can just be relentless.

Beaudesert cafe Teaspoons & Aprons has a new owner, who is paying tribute to former owner Karlie Cassidy.

“You don’t know what someone is going through. So when you’re relentlessly calling and messaging and putting someone down, you just don’t know all of the other factors in their life or what you’re feeding into.”

Ms Harper confirmed there was an ongoing investigation, which meant she could not comment any further on any alleged bullying.

“Please just be kind to people,” she said.

“We’re using #KindnessForKarlie and her favourite flowers, sunflowers, to raise awareness of the bullying.

“I miss her a lot and it’s been really hard. Not just for me, but also Tanya who works here too. We were all very close, like sisters.

“It’s really hard being in here every day without her. But she’d want us to keep it going so we will.”

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