We all know cafes are doing it tough during this Covid-19 situation, and despite their best efforts, there’s only so far a business can pivot and so many take away coffees they can do. As you can imagine, it’s difficult to cover the eat and drink sit down business they’ve lost.
While plenty of cafes go into self-survival mode, some even going so far as to just flat out ask for donations, owner Lee Boys and her team at the The Organik on The Broadway at Glenelg, have been taking a slightly different approach.
We might all be talking about ‘flattening the curve” right now, but for years, long before it was fashionable, The Organik have been ahead of the curve when it comes to finding new and interesting and better ways of doing things. Straws were blacklisted there long before they were actually banned. People who asked for take away cups to drink in, were given the infamous Lee eye brow raise. She even created a wall of mugs so people who wanted take away could have it in a real mug to reduce disposable cups. And all that, well before it was the ‘woke’ thing to do.
So it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that Lee’s doing things differently again.
The Organik already had an actual store next to their cafe selling everything from fresh organic fruit and veg to organic wine. But it wasn’t set up to do online orders or home delivery because it just didn’t quite add up. Now, it’s a different story. And rather than just deliver her own products, Lee has teamed up with other nearby businesses to offer all sorts of products that can be delivered.
Need pet food from Scruffies pet food next door? Done. Meat from the Broadway Meat Store? Easy. Yes, even mince! Skin and beauty products (think Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics, Eco Tan and their own organic Nourished Skin Care Range) from Skin Things or hair supplies from Marion Hair and Beauty. Not a problem. You can now even get flowers delivered from the new Plant Time Lover pop up that’s taken the space of Chick’nChips a few doors down from the cafe, while they have a little Covid break.
At a time when the big players are limiting home deliveries to those who qualify, it’s not unusual to see Lee herself zipping around personally delivering groceries and supplies to people who need them. Do the economics add up? Not really. She won’t be retiring on the south of France any time soon. But is it a way to keep ordering from valued suppliers to help their businesses and families, keep a few staff employed, and keep things ticking over? For now, yes.
So a bunch of those things you’re struggling to get from Woolies or Coles if you can even get home delivery? Plenty of those things are available direct from Organik, often at no more than what the big guys charge.
And it doesn’t end there.
They’ve gone way above and beyond with hygiene protocols – ever wondered how the coffee lid you’re about to put in your mouth gets on your coffee cup? Yeah, exactly. At The Organik, they pass you your lid on a plate so you can put it on yourself.
They’ve let people swap home grown organic produce for something else they need in return.
They’ve even opened up their back garden (to two people at a time of course!) who just need somewhere outside to sit for while.
It’s a great reminder that while the big supermarket chains are raking it in and won’t just survive this, but will likely bring in record profits, the corner stores who have been there for us through thick and thin, who have sponsored our school sporting teams, donated prizes and helped the community in all sorts of ways for years, now need a little goodwill to come back their way.
The best bit is, you don’t even have to donate something. Just spend some of the money you were going to spend anyway, at some of these places. And get amazing products and service in return.
And yes if you want one of the best coffees going around, The Organik are still serving take away along with smoothies and muffins.
You can order groceries online at https://www.theorganik.com.au/ or call the on 08 8295 7767 to ask about delivery and get an order form for those other products from nearby stores.
The Organik Store & Cafe is located at 37 The Broadway, Glenelg.
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