After losing everything in a cloud of smoke, a local businesswoman is sharing her journey of resilience and how she is now serving up good vibes, coffee and art.
Maleny’s newest cafe owner Evelyn Crooke was among the victims of the Black Summer bushfires when she was living in the small community of Batemans Bay, south of Sydney.
“I lost my house and art studio in the fires in 2020 on New Year’s Eve,” Ms Crooke said.
“I went through a break-up as well, and then COVID hit a month later.
“It was rough and was definitely a journey … but I don’t define myself from what’s happened to me. I’m a live-in-the-moment kind of gal.”
Soon after, the mural artist decided to hit the road travelling for about a year, until she landed in Maleny.
“I just fell in love with it so I decided to stay and start my next journey here,” she said.
In February 2022, the Arts Connect Inc president opened The Joy Collective – a gallery and creative co-working space on Coral Street.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” she said.
“This was my five-year goal … to open a space that I can work alongside other artists and inspire each other and just work with other like-minded people.
Offering artists and creators business spaces and studios to work from, Ms Crooke also offers workshops and classes, such as the popular life drawing class every Wednesday.
“We host different artists every month and we usually do an exhibition for them in the gallery too,” she said.
“I’ve definitely bounced back doing what I love.”
Since opening her business, she has been on a mission to keep expanding and has just opened a new addition: The Joy Collective Cafe.
She said the community support had been wonderful since opening the new cafe, which coincided with Open Studios, an Arts Connect event.
“Everybody’s been happy to see it open and loves the look of the space,” she said.
“I’ve had nothing but really good feedback – on the coffee as well. It’s got a really good vibe here.”
In a few weeks customers can also look forward to small grab-and-go eats from the cafe.
“People can come and experience art in every corner and connect over a cuppa,” she said.
“I’m not just a coffee shop – I’m many, many wonderful things. I’m a creative hub and coffee can accompany everything.
“It’s just an awesome edition to the space.
“It’s the only coffee shop on Coral Street, there’s loads of parking and it’s a nice little tucked-away quiet area, so it’s quite lovely.”
Coming from a background in hospitality, Ms Crooke said opening her new cafe was “just another excuse to bring people together”.
“The number of cafes in town already really doesn’t worry me,” she said.
“I love all the coffees in town.”
With her next expansion plans including a secret garden addition to the cafe, she plans to also create more art workshops and creative classes for the community.
“During the quiet times I plan to paint more myself and personally make more time to be creative in the studio,” she said.
“I also want to inspire people to get out of their house when it’s quiet and it’s cold, so just coming up with different workshop ideas too.”
Find The Joy Collective Cafe at 1/37 Coral St, Maleny, from 6.30am to mid-afternoon from Monday to Saturday.
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