Plenty West End’s final goodbye

A popular Brisbane cafe is set to close after nine years of producing locally sourced and sustainable food. This is why.

A Brisbane cafe, focused on local produce and sustainability, is seeing its final days approach as it prepares for one last hurrah this weekend.

Plenty cafe on Montague Rd at West End will serve its final meals on Sunday, July 31.

Plenty Cafe will have its final day of service on Sunday, July 31.

Owner Karyn Hodges said business had been declining since Covid-19 hit and since then they had not been able to turn a profit.

“We haven’t been able to make rent. It was either close or modify,” Ms Hodges said.

Buttermilk and white chocolate hot cakes are just one of their may menu items.

Staff shortages, Covid-19 restrictions and the recent flooding, which caused $11,000 damage, made it impossible for Plenty to survive.

“For nine years we have prided ourselves on making everything from scratch. That requires lots of staff, we just could not get enough in,” Ms Hodges said.

“The other option was to buy frozen, which wasn’t what Plenty was about.”

Staff members of Plenty Cafe West End promoting free coffee Friday.

Ms Hodges said staff were already finding new hospitality jobs.

She also said she was ready to wind down.

“I’m looking forward to being with my grandchildren, going to the gym. It’s me time now,” she said.

“It’s not sad. It’s just a milestone, just a step.”
The cafe, which is part of a former warehouse, will soon be converted into a gym.