Little Stray opens in Woodburn

By Samantha Elley

If you have tasted the coffee from Stray café in Evans Head and loved it, you are going to be delighted to hear that owners, Damo Robertson and Jessica Grace, have opened Little Stray in Woodburn.

In the premises of the old Rich River Café, they have set up their espresso bar where people can grab a coffee and bagel or any of the dessert delights with gluten free options on offer.

“I started in the coffee business 15 years ago in West End Brisbane as a way of getting out of being a bartender,” he said.

“(I was) sick of the night life.

“When I moved back down to this area, I started the coffee cart in a converted horse trailer at Evans Head Fish Co-op.”

Damo had the cart for 18 months before the flood damaged the co-op, so then he found the old Evans to Betsy site, where he had worked as a barista before starting the cart.

“The owners asked me if I’d like to take on the coffee shop,” he said.

“I didn’t have anything at all, I put the coffee machine from the cart at the front door as the shop was empty.”

With Stray now established as an eat-in café and thriving with a good local following, the couple and their family of two young girls bought a house in Woodburn.

“This opportunity came up to open here (in Woodburn),” he said.

“I always wanted to own a couple of coffee shops that supports us.

“I now have 10 staff (at Evans Head) and I’ve employed someone for Woodburn but I am looking for more staff.”

Little Stray opened on Saturday, November 16 and despite there being a number of coffee shops on River Street, he hopes that he will bring more people to Woodburn.

“We will offer freshly squeezed cold pressed juice, toasted bagels and gluten free pastries,” he said.

“We use Old Quarter coffee, all hand-picked, nothing mass produced.”

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