Images: provided
An Adelaide couple have gone viral in recent months while tackling an epic renovation of a former local deli in Kilkenny.
As their first property purchase and renovation project, Kayla and James knew the road ahead would not be simple.
“(When) we went and had a look at it, (we) instantly knew that, while it was a lot of work, we could do it,” Kayla said.
As the building sits within a heritage overlay, its original facade could not simply be knocked down and instead had to be restored.
Since purchasing the property in March 2025, the couple have removed ceilings, added a roof, cleared tonnes of rubbish, demolished rear rooms and side verandas, removed unwanted concrete and tackled an overgrown backyard.
“We both work in the construction industry, and we just got to that point where we knew we were capable and really wanted to work on something together.”
“I started documenting it on Instagram for friends and family, and the more consistently we posted, the more traction we got.”
With more than 106,000 followers on Instagram, their videos now attract anywhere from thousands to millions of views, and the couple are only getting started.
“It’s not just any old house. The building has history, and other people have a connection to it.”
One major setback came about four months into the renovation, when the couple received news that a car had crashed through the front of the building.
Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but the damage delayed the project and disrupted their plans to restore the original brickwork.
“Looking back now, the crash was a blessing in disguise,” Kayla said.
“We’ve rebuilt the front brand new, so everything happens for a reason, I suppose.”
This wasn’t the only surprise to grace the couple, as once they worked on ripping the flooring up, they discovered a hidden cellar beneath the ground.
“The cellar was full of old packaging and heaps of things from when it was an operational deli, which was pretty cool.”
Among the items uncovered in the cellar were several original letters linked to a family connected to the former deli. After tracking down the writer’s granddaughter, Kayla and James invited her to look through the collection and were able to return several meaningful pieces to the family.
Kayla believes the building’s rich history and the memories it holds for locals are among the reasons their social media following has grown so rapidly, opening the door to opportunities they never expected.
“It is definitely becoming more of a high-end house because of the opportunities we have received through Instagram and the brands we are now working with”.
Despite the tough and demanding workload, James and Kayla say the project has been incredibly rewarding, while the support from their growing online community has been unreal.
Kayla said they hoped to have the renovation completed by early 2027. From there, the couple may rent the property out, although their plans are still up in the air.
“It’s now about 15 months later and we are definitely nowhere near finished, but we’re not in a rush, which is nice.”
What they do know is that they have discovered a new passion for restoring historic buildings and want to continue renovating and sharing their projects.
You can follow the deli renovations journey, here.
