From Park Ridge to Park Lane coffee shop’s Jo Ransome uncovers mystery of Logan laneway

A dying shopping strip has been given a new lease of life after a coffee shop opened, uncovering the mystery of the street’s name.

Park Lane Barista owner Jo Ransome outside her new cafe at Park Lane at Bryants Rd at Loganholme.

Nobody knew of Park Lane at Loganholme until coffee shop owner Jo Ransome opened her cafe in November.

Residents and business owners had no idea the unmarked one-way street behind their shops was called Park Lane as there was no sign.

Park Lane Barista owner Jo Ransome at the hole-in-the-wall where her coffee sells like hot cakes. PHOTOS: JUDITH KERR

Before naming her cafe, Ms Ransome researched the area and found to her amazement the unmarked backstreet was called Park Lane.

It was the perfect name for her coffee shop venture, combining local history with visions of the ritzy London address.

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“I was thinking of a name and did some research and finally found the street was called Park Lane,” she said.

“It was a surprise to the local dentist who was grateful to finally be able to give patients an address.

“It was perfect for me as it brought together the community and a bit history of the area, but also added in that classy element which I was trying to capture.”

Ms Ransome, who grew up in Park Ridge met her business partner concrete business owner Scott Howard at Park Ridge State High.

Switching from concreting to caffeine was always on the cards for Mr Howard who leaves the day-to-day cafe business to Ms Ransome.

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The shops, which front the busy Bryants Rd, have had waning fortunes with a rotation of businesses moving in and out over the past decade.

A mower shop, real estate outlets, hair dressers and a small store, have come and gone while Cottage Bakery and a pharmacy have endured the long term.

Park Lane Barista, which opens at 5.30am, is breathing life back into the shopping strip and has become a popular stop-off for early tradies picking up fresh sausage rolls, homemade pies and a piping hot coffee blended from beans from Toby’s Estate.

A new coffee shop at Loganholme is bringing new custom to a once-dying shopping strip.

those who don’t want to go inside can order from a hole-in-the-wall servery which adds to the cafe feel growing in the area.

Pastries and cakes are picked up every morning from Brisbane’s Jocelyn’s Provisions at Albion and fresh doughnuts from Newmarket.

“It may not be London but our own Park Lane is pretty special and I think the business will live up to that name,” Ms Ransome said.