They’re the delightful pair behind your sweet, lifesaving cuppa every morning so, for Mitch and Hayley of Social Espresso, let’s all take a minute to give thanks.

The clever couple started their business just a few short years ago and, in that time, have amassed a huge following of loyal Gold Coasters in love with their unique blends.

We sat down for a chat with Mitch and Hayley about what it takes to create a brand new coffee blend (yes it’s a lot of coffee) and how they came to be stocked in so many locally loved cafes. 

How long have you been Gold Coast locals?
We moved from WA to the Gold Coast about five years ago now for Hayley’s work at the time. Fell in love with it immediately and very quickly made it our home.

What do you love most about living in our beachside city?
We are both from small coastal towns so we love that it has beautiful beaches and that laid back coastal vibe but there is also a great buzz! There is an awesome cafe and restaurant scene (we are both foodies) and so much growth and opportunity for business. We feel there is a great sense of community here where startup businesses are encouraged and small businesses support each other and work together and that’s pretty special!

Tell us how your business, Social Espresso, came about?
Mitch: I’ve always worked around coffee and while on a surf trip through Central America I visited some coffee plantations and my real interest in coffee began. When I moved back to Australia I began deepening my experience as a barista. From there it progressed to managing cafes. When we moved to the Gold Coast I had the goal of eventually starting my own business. I started working for several cafes and I felt there was a gap for local coffee with a strong focus on service and so I just started learning everything I could and took the leap.

What’s the process of creating such a unique blend?
It’s quite a journey the coffee bean takes from crop to cup. But keeping it short and simple; we start with an idea of a flavour profile we want to achieve. We generally find the most crowd pleasing is a full body with smooth caramel and milk chocolate sweetness and a slight berry or dried fruit acidity. We source a variety of beans from around the world and sample them through a process called cupping. Here we look for different characteristics in each bean, some offering body, some sweetness, others a fruity acidity. From there we build the flavour profile through these layers to give our drinkers the best experience. 

Why do you think people grew to love it so quickly?
It took time and lots of trial and error to come up with a few blends we are really proud of. We had the Gold Coast market in mind and are constantly asking the public what they look for in their daily brew. I think that’s the most important thing, keeping the end consumer as top priority and not getting too carried away with trying to be too different. We also make sure we work with good machinery and train our baristas thoroughly in weighing and timing each shot in order for them to deliver consistently delicious coffee every time.

What does a normal day look like for the two of you?
Starting bright and early serving coffee in our coffee bar in the Burleigh industrial area. We open from 5.30am to 10.30am for the morning rush – it’s our favourite way to start the day – chatting to our regulars and having a few laughs, networking and solving the problems of the world. Once that shift is done we then pack both cars up, split ways and pop into each of our cafes with their weekly delivery. Mitch looks after all barista training so he may have a few of those booked in each week. The rest is filled in with time at the roastery, machine maintenance, sales enquiries, packing online orders, marketing and back end admin. It’s just a two-man band so we do it all. 

How do your beans come to be brewed by some of the most loved cafes across the Coast?
We feel extremely lucky to work with some of the top cafes on the coast. We have formed great relationships in our coffee community and have been lucky enough to get most of our business through these friendships, customers and word of mouth. Service is a priority for us; we make sure we are in our cafes each week checking that everything is running smoothly. We really love what we do and I think that’s the key to a successful business.

What else is involved in the business we might not be aware of?
We partnered up with our friend Jeremy at Raw Earth Organics to start our own cold brew company, Two Amigo’s Cold Brew. It’s really taken off nicely and we are stocked in several cafes, bars, restaurants, markets and supermarkets throughout the coast. That’s been an exciting little venture and one that we are hoping to keep growing.

What’s the plan for 2019 for the two of you?
Further growth hopefully in both Social Espresso and Two Amigo’s cold brew. There are still so many areas we would love to branch into. And a holiday! It’s been a while.

Tell us your favourites on the Coast…
Beach: We live right on Talle Creek, so we feel like that’s our little local sanctuary. But our favourite beach has to be Cabarita. For Mitch it’s wherever there is surf.}Cafe: This is a hard one, it’s a little like asking who your favourite child is. Obviously we love all our Social Espresso cafes! But depending on what mood we are in, we usually can’t go past breaky at Cafe Caribou. Cafe Dbar also do a great feed and they have incredible views! Mitch loves a pie on the go at Fuel Bakehouse or on treat day a coffee and donut at D point 10…if you haven’t tried one of their donuts, you haven’t lived! We are also really excited for our newest partnership, Burleigh Co-op who’ll be opening their doors in a few weeks!
Restaurant: Etsu. We love Japanese and this place never disappoints! It’s our go-to when we need to treat ourselves (which is quite often) or impress visitors. We also love Baskk in Kirra. Epic food and cocktails and a really fun vibe.
How does your weekend usually look: Getting up early (cant sleep in to save ourselves), Mitch usually goes for a surf, I go to yoga and then meet at home to make a cold brew coffee, throw the mattress in the back of the van and cruise down the coast for an adventure. We love finding cool new cafes, a quiet beach to surf and relax and a nice spot to park up for the night (preferably with ocean views)

Homewares are equally the love of our lives and an unhealthy obsession we should probably nip in the bud. Won’t though, because pretty cushions are life and we’re home ALOT these days.

Not to mention the fact that the Gold Coast is home to an unfair amount of homewares stores filled with absolutely beautiful things we definitely need and will make us happy. You too? Thought so.

Here’s a list of ten local homewares stores to get in your life, next time a shopping spree is in order.

St Barts
From Mongolia to Morocco, Denmark to India and Asia to Africa, St Barts have travelled across the world collecting beautiful pieces designed to invoke a sense of wanderlust and adventure within the home. St Barts opened their Ferry Rd Markets store in May 2010 and expanded their empire to Burleigh in September 2019 (with the neat addition of Next Door Espresso attached) and since then, have delighted the good folks of the Gold Coast with their inspiring and perfectly on trend range. It’s a store you could spend the rest of your days gushing over (and spending up a storm in).
Where: The Brickworks, 107 Ferry Road, Southport and 24 Junction Road, West Burleigh

The Beach Furniture
Unique, handmade pieces in raw, natural colours, perfect for anyone who’s keen on the beautiful, laidback things in life is how we feel about The Beach Furniture’s collection of goodies. Unpolished wooden tables, whitewashed cabinets and consoles and an array of homewares in the prettiest of pastel shades are the perfect match for any home, particularly on the Gold Coast (lucky). No matter what you may need for your abode, you’ll find it at The Beach Furniture and it will be oh so beautiful.
Where: 48 Bundall Road, Bundall and 74 Kortum Drive, Burleigh 

Village Stores
One of the original and the best, Village Stores have been around for quite some time and it’s not hard to see why. Their collection of perfectly Pinterest-worthy pieces will make your space absolutely pop (and be the envy of all your friends). From furniture to photographs and everything in between, Village Stores offer an eclectic range of homewares including tribal-inspired pieces and stunning rattan pendant lights. Oh, and their rugs are some of the most beautiful around too.
Where: Shop 1/54 Bundall Road, Bundall

Three Balls Red
The ladies at Three Balls Red know what’s up when it comes to absolutely stunning homewares, you won’t find anywhere else. What began as a beautiful lighting and tile store in Bundall, not long ago became a homewares store stocking primarily local brands and we are absolutely obsessed. From linen bedding to award-winning leather chairs, art, rugs, cushion, everything, you will no doubt find at least 35 things you want for your home. If you’re not sure what you need, the gals are very knowledgeable so they can point you in the right direction. Don’t miss grabbing a coffee from next door coffee shop Roller Door Espresso!
Where: 2/85 Ashmore Rd, Bundall

Kira & Kira
A game changer to the Gold Coast homewares store game is Kira & Kira (so nice they named it twice) in Miami. The absolutely stunning store is a workshop and retail space dedicated to the design and development of furniture and interior pieces. Each piece is made with the highest quality materials and inspired by a mid-century modern aesthetic, celebrating functionality, clean lines and beautiful finishes. We absolutely love every single thing in there and would very much appreciate being stylish enough to include them all in our home. Please.
Where: Cnr Gold Coast Highway and Kratzman Avenue, Miami 

Trader Trove
Oh Moroccan-inspired homewares, how you have our hearts (and a lot of our money) with thanks, in no small part, to the impeccably styled space that is Trader Trove. With new and vintage wares, sourced both locally and from around the globe, it is the homewares store of our dreams and there is not a thing in there we would not love to own. Brightly coloured Turkish cushions are artfully placed next to Moroccan grass baskets and beside intricately woven rugs and it’s all absolute perfection.
Where: 22 Christine Avenue, Miami

Maison & Maison
A bohemian-inspired beauty you’ve no doubt wandered past in your travels around Burleigh, Maison & Maison is filled with an eclectic range of tapestry cushions, leather pouffes, carved buffalo skulls and throw rugs. The pieces here are also inspired by the beauty of the world and sure to ignite some wanderlust within your holiday-hungry soul. They want you to imagine meandering through the streets of Istanbul, with a cocktail in hand and tropical living on your mind. But in Burleigh. Don’t mind if we do.
Where: 53 James Street, Burleigh Heads

Emporium on James
Expect to find all the delightful things at Emporium on James. There’s beautiful wicker furniture, Mongolian sheepskin throws, hanging chairs, Maison Blanche candles and the loveliest gifts. All of which will definitely tickle your fancy. There’s also a pretzel shaped bottle opener that we simply must have. If quirky, unique pieces in natural colours and textures are your thing, Emporium on James is the one for you.
Where: 1/50 James Street, Burleigh Heads 

Gather Store
Gather is a beautiful little home goods and gallery store filled with thoughtfully curated goodies with a strong emphasis on raw, crafted and botanical. The gals are passionate about supporting local artisans and brands AND they even have a micro nursery with a hand-picked selection of indoor and patio plants. We absolutely LOVE the range of handmade ceramics on offer and may have quite the collection in our house already. It’s the perfect place to find an incredible gift for a loved one or, of course, to treat yo’self. Located next to Dust Temple, pop in for your art gallery fix too!
Where: Shop 1, 56 Currumbin Creek Road, Currumbin

Salt Living
Perfectly representative of the coastal life we know and love, Salt Living has been filling the homes of Gold Coasters since 2014. With a love of relaxed, beachside vibes and high quality, handmade and ethically produced pieces from around the world, the space itself is all white, shades of blue and golden accents and it’s as pretty as you could ever hope your house to be. The store also stocks some incredible artworks, slides from everyone’s (our) fave brand St. Agni and swimwear by local brand peony. So all the best things. Love this place.
Where: The Strand, 72 Marine Parade, Coolangatta

Words by Kirra Smith

Is there anything better than making pretty art with your very own hands with like-minded ladies in an absolutely stunning space with a cup of tea and some organic treats to nibble on?

Don’t think so. Did you know that is an exact time you can have at Gold Coast gem The Craft Parlour, which has indeed been around for a few good time packed years now, but has recently moved to a new home at Lemana Lane in Miami.

Which is perfect because, as you may have noticed, there is A LOT of incredible things happening on Lemana Lane (Hotel Miami, Granddad Jacks and Heartfill) in Miami and The Craft Parlour is right at home there.

In case you’ve never had the pleasure, The Craft Parlour is the work of one Rachael Valentine who, not coincidentally, is one of the most love-filled (and loved) lasses on the Coast.

So much so, that she wanted to create a place where creatives could share their passion and skills and in turn, inspire others to awaken theirs.

Built on the premise of creating a community, connection and stepping outside your comfort zone, the space has become one of the Coast’s most adored spots for everything from macramé workshops to pottery and paint and sip classes to paper making.

So all of the things you love.

But back to the space itself (sorry got carried away).

As you’d expect from a gal who encourages creativity for a living, The Craft Parlour is a naturally-lit wonderland of woven wall hangings, shelves packed with coloured yarn, abundant greenery, vintage rugs and timber flooring that all comes together as the 70s beach shack of your dreams. But also probably better than anything you or I could dream up.

It’s a labour of love by Rachel and her partner Seb, jam-packed with soul and a place you will absolutely never want to leave.

If there’s ever been a place to encourage your inner creative to come out and play, it’s this one.

So, if you’re interested in sewing yourself a new frock, painting a resin art piece for your wall or even hosting a baby shower or hens do in a perfectly put together space, look no further than The Craft Parlour.

You might find yourself a new hobby, a new gal pal or simply just some time to kick back and create something pretty.

We’re in love and we think you will be too.

Yeah the Gold Coast.

LOCATION: 27 Lemana Lane, Miami
HOURS: Various, depending on workshops

Words and photos by Kirra Smith