Tina Naysmith and Cherry Baggow-Brandon set to open Salt’s Bar and Grill, close Bucasia cafe

From cupcakes to cocktails and tomahawk steaks, a Mackay cafe is expanding five-fold to fill the space of a much-loved resort restaurant.

Cherry Baggow-Brandon and Tina Naysmith say farewell to their Cherry n Tina’s Cafe and Catering business on Bucasia, but not goodbye. Photo: Tina Naysmith

A Mackay cafe known for their home-baked cupcakes had their dreams handed to them on a platter as they plan to expand five-fold, replacing an outgoing restaurant.

Cherry N Tina’s Cafe owners Tina Naysmith and Cherry Baggow-Brandon will be closing their Bucasia cafe down Friday, February 14 to make way for their business expansion next door in Dolphin Heads Resort, taking over from Salt Restaurant.

Lyn Ischenko, the owner of the now-shut Salt Cafe, Bar and Restaurant was involved in a long-running dispute with the resort body corporate over guest access to the pool.

On December 31 Ms Ischenko sent an email to body corporate secretary, treasurer and spokesman Bob Boundy informing him she was charging $1000 monthly for access to sheds.

Dolphin Heads Resort.

“We looked at each other and we thought, we’re the same age, we’re home cooks, we don’t have chefs behind us but we have chefs and wonderful staff coming on board,” Ms Naysmith said.

From February 24 Cherry N Tina’s cafe will grow from three employees to between 15 and 20 with plans to open at 6am till night, seven days a week at the Dolphins Heads Resort, trading under the new name Salt’s Bar and Grill.

Cocktail at Salt Restaurant at Dolphin Heads Resort. Picture: Rae Wilson

The venue will have the cafe run throughout the day, turned into a restaurant at night and will include a cocktail bar.

“We’ve got a beautiful beach atmosphere, it’s open, it’s airy and it’s friendly and we couldn’t ask for a better partnership and a better life that is going to happen for us,” Ms Naysmith said.

Cherry N Tina’s expansion plans will include the bar, a restaurant, a function room for wedding and engagement parties, a BBQ area and a beach front.

“We did go hunting for bigger premises and there’s really not much out there in Mackay and what is available the rent is just through the roof,” Ms Baggow-Brandon said.

“That was the issue of moving out and finding somewhere.

“This one, God gave it to us.”

Dolphin Heads Resort and restaurant hit the market for $1.595m in 2023.

But both Ms Baggor-Brandon and Ms Naysmith aren’t letting go of what made the small cafe on Bucasia Road so special.

“We’re doing what we were doing best, which is our catering and our cupcakes which is a big percentage of our income. But now we decided that now it’s time to expand,” Ms Naysmith said.

“All our baking is homemade, we buy nothing.

“Cherry believed in our dream and that’s what we’ve done.

“We’ve moved forward and now the sky's the limit.”

Ms Naysmith is bringing along partner Warren Lichtenwohrer who worked as a delivery driver for nine years, while Ms Baggow-Brandon’s sister-in-law has given up her job as a nurse to join the team.

Originally published as Tina Naysmith and Cherry Baggow-Brandon set to open Salt’s Bar and Grill, close Bucasia cafe