What goes on at Bunker Records and Espresso

TOUCH OF TOOWOOMBA brings you a scene from the lives of four Toowoomba each week. Who are they? And what do they love about our great city?

(From left) Kirsty Lee, Alice Mathison, Darcy Campbell and Stephen Payton at Bunker Records and Espresso on Margaret Street. Picture: James Lawrey

TOUCH OF TOOWOOMBA brings you a scene from the lives of four Toowoomba each week. Who are they? And what do they love about our great city?

Where: Bunker Records and Espresso

When: 11.30am

Stephen Payton

I WAS approached just over three and a half years ago by Kirsty Lee, co-owner of Bunker Records.

We had some talks about me potentially opening up an espresso bar and sharing the space to make it easier for rent and there begins our business adventure.

I feel really good about it in the sense that there are people in Toowoomba who  really wanted somewhere like this.

My favourite part about our whole Bunker journey is easily the interactions.

I've met a lot of extraordinary people here. It's nice to know there are quite diverse people from different backgrounds in Toowoomba.

We had a customer series on Instagram where we shared unique stories of our customers.

We really like the two-way experience so that it's  not only just the customer experiencing what the business has to offer but the business shares what the customer has to offer.

Darcy Campbell

MY favourite part about Bunker has got to be the community.

Whenever I come here to grab a coffee, I know I'm also going to see my friends.

The number  of people who walk through that door who  are all on the same wavelength is pretty cool.

I can't think of another place where I can come grab a coffee and spend the whole day having a good time talking with mates and like-minded people.

As a local artist as well, it's special to have a place that supports you and holds your exhibitions.

Whenever I'm not feeling inspired or just not feeling it, I come here and there is a certain energy that I feed off to get inspiration.

Bunker would have to be at the forefront for Toowoomba's creative and artistic scene and that's really exciting.

Alice Mathieson

I STARTED working here two weeks after Bunker first opened, so just over three years now. I think people appreciate something a little different.

I feel First Coat was very important for Toowoomba and its creative scene. Honestly, I absolutely love everything about working at Bunker. I love the coffee and I also love the fact I get to meet new people, chat to customers and see my friends every day.

I love how Toowoomba is quite small and you can bump into your friends every day and have a nice chat. It's very community-minded in that way.

Kirsty Lee

BUNKER started about five years ago.

We had a chalkboard and wrote what we would like to see in Toowoomba and people would come and write things in and then we would scrub it off, then people would write more things.

People would write "record store", then we would scrub it off and then new people would come and write "record store" and then we would scrub it off.

And then we kind of thought, well people want a record store.

We all brought something different to the table. I wanted to start it for a sense of community,

so for me it was important that people coming into the store were having conversations.

The fact Toowoomba is still young is my favourite part and always has been. I feel like I can do anything in Toowoomba and even though it may not necessarily work, I still have the opportunity to take the risk.

Originally published as What goes on at Bunker Records and Espresso