Lowrider Cafe owner Matthew Hill reveals sad reason for closure and plans for new pizzeria
After being forced to close his much-loved cafe less than a year after opening, Adelaide businessman Matthew Hill has revealed exciting new plans.
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After struggling to keep up with business costs, Lowrider Cafe owner Matthew Hill was left with no choice but to shut shop less than a year after opening – but not all hope is lost.
He invested all of his savings to open the shop at States Rd, Morphett Vale, which is also home to the Lowrider Barbershop, with his now ex-partner in May.
The decision was not one made lightly with the father-of-two finding himself $25,000 in debt.
“I tried to fight to keep the cafe open but it was just not making money (and) by the end of it I was basically $2000 behind every single week,” he said.
“The barbershop was paying for everything and I was struggling to pay everybody for months.
“It was so hard and stressful it even got to a point that I contemplated suicide I was in such a dark place.”
To keep his barbershop afloat, he began offering a pay-what-you-can scheme which has been “amazing.”
“If someone’s got no job and no money they could literally get a haircut for five dollars,” he said.
“I had a dad and his four kids come in who asked to negotiate a price because it would’ve been like $180 and we negotiated that down to $100.”
This is made possible by other customers paying it forward, he said.
“There was a single mum with three kids and I only charged her for two because other people have been putting money on top that allows us to.”
Now gearing up to open a retro-inspired pizzeria in the cafe’s place next month, he’s feeling better than ever.
“I’m really excited and I’m feeling good,” he said.
“It’s called Big Bite Pizza and we’re going to do pizza and takeaway.
“It’s going to be like a nostalgic Pizza Hut that you can come and dine in too.”
Big Bite Pizza will officially open on Monday, 10 February.
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