A favourite coffee shop near the beach will turn 10 this weekend after it was nursed through some “tough years”.
Compound Surf and Drink and Coffee at Coolum Beach is a crowd favourite, attracting coffee connoisseurs, holidaymakers, mums’ groups, running and cycling enthusiasts, surfers and remote workers.
Its doors were opened in 2014 and there have been many changes at the Heathfield Road business, including the selling of second-hand clothing and surf gear.
Owner and founder Aaron Bradley and his wife Rahel said it had been, at times, a difficult journey.
“I feel really honoured to still be here a decade after we first opened our doors,” he said.
“We’ve had some really tough years, especially through the uncertainty and pressures of the pandemic, and through industry pressures like staffing shortages and rising costs, there were many moments where we were unsure of the future.
“But we were always able to find solutions and adjust to what the business needed even if that meant working extra hours.”
Aaron and Rahel even expanded in the coffee industry, pioneering Slide Coffee Roasters, based in Coolum Industrial Estate, where they roast and deliver coffee beans to like-minded cafes all around South-East Queensland.
Slide beans are featured in cafes across the country.
“We just want to take the opportunity to thank our loyal customers, new and old,” he said.
“It’s been such an epic journey and we wouldn’t still be here without the Coolum community supporting us from day one.
“We want to celebrate this huge milestone and this space and what it means to Coolum.”
To celebrate the milestone, free coffee will be available on Sunday from 6am to noon.
Local musician Chucho Bruno will play from 10am.
Compound has also collaborated with a local artist Em Niwa to create a special 10-year anniversary tee-shirt as a keepsake for locals.
“We’ll have all hands-on deck to keep wait times to a minimum,” Mr Bradley said.
“We even have an ‘express flatty’ (flat white) option for people who aren’t fussy. They can simply grab a freshly made flat white full cream or oat milk without lining up to order.”
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