As others close their doors, one group of people has seen the need to open a cafe at Meadowbrook – for the sake of the community.
When the Stevenson family moved in to manage Authentic Church a year ago, the front room was a storage hub, and cafe supervisor Emma Simpson recalls the mess that has become a neatly decked out coffee shop.
“Yes, I’ve had a fair bit of input into this,” she says, proud of what the space at 350 Loganlea Rd has become.
“There was a lot of cleaning to be done. There was so much clutter, but we’ve got there.”
The church already has a co-op with discounted groceries, and a large op shop at the back of the venue. The coffee shop at the front was the remaining piece of the community puzzle.
It’s designed to be a meeting place, no so much a cafe – although Ms Simpson says she makes a good coffee.
Freshly cooked bacon and egg rolls are just $3 and there’s a range of low-cost food options, including a tub of yoghurt for 50 cents.
Coffees are from $3.80 to $5.
“We wanted to set up something that was more for the Logan community,” Ms Simpson said.
“Mum (Melanie Stevenson) always wanted a cafe. I’ve never been a cafe person, but here I am. We’ve got some cheaper meals, and really wanted to create a place where people feel welcome, particularly young families who might be struggling to buy food.”
The philosophy creates a synergy with the co-op which is also low-cost.
“Being a single mum myself, I know things can be expensive,” Ms Simpson said.
“So we’re bringing the community together, making people feel like they can enjoy dining in.”
