savvy collaboration between coffee wholesaler Coffee Supreme and cafe operator Elaine So has come to fruition with the opening of The Abbotsford Club on Grosvenor Street, built into a corner of the Coffee Supreme warehouse. The motivation for the cafe in the warehouse was to create a place to offer context to potential customers and to provide a cafe for local businesses and residents.

“We were originally going to run it ourselves but it’s not about what we do,” says Coffee Supreme director, Justin Emerson. “We’re actually more about the wholesale, roasting good espresso and helping other people make a success of their cafes.”

Enter old friend and colleague Elaine So, who owns Servery & Spoon in Malvern and My Sister Says in Port Melbourne. “I’ve known Justin for quite a while and am a loyal, diehard Supreme fan and we started talking about it. It was something I’d always wanted to do, so it’s a dream realised.”

The tiny cafe, designed by So and Emerson, sells cakes made by So’s full-time pastry chef at Servery & Spoon plus a selection of sandwiches. The menu may evolve a little but the focus will always be the coffee.

“We want to showcase the coffee, work together with Supreme, (and) provide people with a unique experience where they’re right in the middle of the roastery, in a pared back and relaxed place,” So explains. “It’s about the coffee, not about hanging out in the coolest place in town.”

The Abbotsford Club
28–36 Grosvenor Street, Abbotsford

Hours
Mon-Fri 7.30am–3pm

coffeesupreme.com.au