Hoi Polloi Cafe in Townsville reopens with new owners and new menu items

Keeping ‘the Hoi legacy’ alive, Townsville family the Harker-Cole’s have taken on one of Townsville’s most-loved cafes. Check out their plans.

Nikita McGuire

3 min read

September 11, 2024 - 6:00AM

Townsville Bulletin

Nadine and John Harker at the Hoi Polloi. Picture: Evan Morgan

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Keeping ‘the Hoi legacy’ alive a Townsville family have snapped up the chance to be behind the counter of one of the city’s most-loved spots.

Re-opened on Monday, the much-loved, quirky Townsville cafe not only has new owners, the Harker-Cole family, but new menu items including grab and go sandwiches.

The Hoi Polloi Cafe, which first opened in 2014, was taken over by new owners Nadine and John Harker as a happy accident.

“We were looking for a rental space for a completely different venture, this popped up on the Colliers website,” Ms Harker said.

“We said look at this amazing little space, and said let’s pop in and have a cuppa. We both love coffee so it made perfect sense, we fell in love with the space and it was meant to be.”

The Harker-Cole family are the new owners of The Hoi Polloi in Townsville's CBD.

Born and raised in Brisbane Mr Harker now reckons he can call himself a local, having lived in Townsville for 20 years.

Ms Harker moved from South Africa in 2008, living in Airlie Beach until early 2023.

Now the family are looking to cement themselves in the Townsville cafe scene, saying they have already received welcome greetings from regulars.

Hoping to make the business venture a ‘family affair’ the blended family consisting of three teenagers are keen to join in on the cafe fun.

“We have teenagers who are 12, 13 and 14 and all three are reaching that working age,” Ms Harker said.

The Hoi Polloi. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Part of the reason I guess we even looked into the venture was that it was going to be something that we can keep the kids busy. You will most certainly be seeing them around the cafe eventually once they get trained up.”

Mr Harker said all three kids loved to cook, bake and make juices, saying it will be a full family focus into the future.

With one entrance nestled in Denham St filled with street art and with the other on Flinders Street with a more classic, heritage look, the cafe has something for everyone.

“It’s all business in the front and then at the back you get to let your hair out,” Ms Harker said.

The Hoi Polloi. Piccolo and Cronut. Picture: Evan Morgan

“We are not going to call it a mullet, but yes business in the front party in the back,” Mr Harker said.

The previous owners, the Doyle family, purchased the building 10 years ago when Colleen Doyle was starting her first of two terms as a Townsville City Councillor.

“Colleen and the Doyle family have really nourished and formed such a beautiful space, we didn’t want to take away from the essence of what makes it so special,” Ms Harker said.

With plans to hopefully one day expand the laneway to allow for outdoor seating and events, the Harkers say more than a cafe, they want The Hoi Polloi to be a community space.

The Hoi Polloi. The Reuben. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Coffee in the cafe is just one part of what we are creating here,” Mr Harker said.

“It’s having function spaces, having high teas in the afternoon and then turning into a bar.”

“Then we are also going to do functions, 21st birthday to Christmas parties, anything in between. Hopefully we will be able to spill out, eventually, to do movie nights and long table dinners in the laneway.”