Locals band together to save Gloria Jeans

Locals have rallied around a Kellyville cafe that will be forced to close at the end of the month.

A petition has been started to try and stop Gloria Jean’s at Kellyville Village from being closed. Pictures: Phil Rogers

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Locals have rallied around a Kellyville cafe that will be forced to close at the end of the month.

Gloria Jean’s at Kellyville Village posted a sign earlier this week stating that its lease would not be renewed by the owners of the centre, Coles Group Property Development and ISPT Retail Australia Property Trust.

Kellyville Gloria Jeans shared this sign on their Facebook page.

Coles owns a 25 per cent share in the centre, while ISPT owns 75 per cent.

The statement, posted on Gloria Jean’s shop front and on its Facebook page, started with:

“It is with a heavy heart that we regret to inform you that Coles & ISPT have opted not to renew our lease.

“It comes as a shock to us all.”

Franchisee Oliver Angelevski has run the Gloria Jean’s for four years.

Mr Angelevski said the cafe’s lease was up for renewal in June and he was ready to sign a new negotiated lease, but he was informed in July that the centre owners were not going to proceed and he needed to vacate by August 31.

In a statement to the Times, a spokesman from Kellyville Village said:

“Gloria Jean’s Coffee, which is owned by ASX-listed Retail Food Group Limited, was given the opportunity leading up to the end of its current lease to enter into a new lease at Kellyville Village.

“After four months of commercial negotiations, RFG and ISPT/Coles could not agree on terms.

“As a result, ISPT and Coles has gone to market to find a new tenant for the site. That process is still underway.

Staff at Gloria Jean’s Kellyville Village.

“Coles does not have plans to open its own coffee shop at Kellyville Village nor does it intend to sell freshly-made coffee at its Kellyville supermarket.

“Recognising that the lease discussions were with RFG not the franchisee, ISPT and Coles appreciate that this has been a difficult time for the franchisee operators of the Kellyville Village Gloria Jean’s Coffee.”

Attempts were made to contact Retail Food Group for comment.

Mr Angelevski said the cafe will stop trading on August 23 to allow him time to move out of the shop.

He said the closure meant he had lost the opportunity to sell the franchise, while 20 staff members would lose their jobs.

“I’m shattered, I’m left with a no income store and a huge business loan to pay off,” he said.

Mr Angelevski said his staff and regular guests were “all shell-shocked”.

Les Stimpson and his wife Rebecca, of Castle Hill, have been customers of the store since it opened about 10 years ago and visit every day.

Customers Rebecca and Les Stimpson with Sandie Davidson.

Mr Stimpson said he and his wife were “very upset” when they found out the cafe would be closing.

“Since Ollie’s been there it has become almost a little community down there,” he said.

“Most of the regulars know each other either by name or by sight.”

Mr Stimpson said locals enjoyed Gloria Jean’s community events such as the recent “PJs for GJs” nights, where guests come in their pyjamas and enjoy special drink offers.

“When they have the Anzac ceremony over at the Anzac Reserve just opposite, Ollie opens up at three o’clock so people can get a cup of coffee beforehand,” Mr Stimpson said.

“He puts on shows like the PJs for GJs — he offers half price coffees and gives all the kids that come along an especially decorated cupcake in a box.

“It is a community effort to make everyone enjoy themselves down there.”

Gloria Jean’s at Kellyville Village.

Mr Stimpson said Mr Angelevski also offered employment and training opportunities for young workers.

“It is a good training effort for the kids that work there, he has got over 20 young people that work there and without exception they are all service orientated, they can’t do enough for you,” he said.

“… As much as anything, Ollie is training the kids under him to be good workers.”

Mrs Stimpson has started an in-store petition to save the cafe from being closed, while another Hills local, Sandie Davidson, created an online petition yesterday that has already gained just over 1000 signatures.

“Our only objective is to hopefully impress on the property owners that it is not just a rent paying store, it is part of the community down there,” Mr Stimpson said.