Dune Espresso: Carpenter Toby Burgess opens cafe at North Hobart
After having twin girls with his partner, a Hobart-born carpenter moved back home from Northern Rivers NSW and decided to trade his career in for a shot at the cafe big-time.
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After having twin girls with his partner and needing to be closer to family, a Hobart-born carpenter has returned from working in Northern Rivers NSW and decided to trade in his career for a shot at the cafe big-time.
Opossum Bay chippie Toby Burgess unveiled Dune Espresso, located in the ground-floor tenancy of S Group’s boutique apartment development FOUR31, located at 431 Elizabeth St, on Monday.
“This is me taking the plunge from a building industry background. It’s a full change for me, my first dive into hospo,” Mr Burgess said.
“As a tradie I literally reckon I spent more time drinking lattes in a coffee shop than on building sites. I love coffee.”
While Mr Burgess is a neophyte when it comes to hospitality, he said he has been aided immeasurably by the assistance of his partner Kailtin Spaulding’s brother Dane and his wife Yaz, who own Sisterhood at Sandy Bay and Centrepoint’s Mazbah.
He said foot traffic through the business has “built more and more every day so far”.
“It’s consistently getting busier. It’s a pretty residential-style area so it’s been good for that,” he said.
Changing careers after a lengthy stint in construction has not been without its challenges, however.
“[On building sites I’d] stroll in every day, my body was used to it, head’s used to it, but learning a new skill and a new routine is the most challenging, but rewarding at the same time,” he said.
In homage to his four-and-a-half years in the Northern Rivers, where he moved for work in the late 2010s, Dune possesses a “coastal atmosphere … [and] laid-back vibes,” Mr Burgess said.
Dune slings Single O coffee from Surry Hills, Sydney’s hipster ground-zero, orders in fresh pastries each day, and serves up gourmet toasted sandwiches made using Storm River & Stone sourdough.
Its opening hours are 6am – 2pm Monday to Friday, and 7–11am Saturday.
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