After Eight Years, Karma & Crow Is Moving From Richmond to Sister Site Yellow Matter

Brooklyn Park microbrewery Yellow Matter will soon become an all-day venue when sister site Karma & Crow moves in this May. The beloved inner west cafe in a lofty warehouse has been a fixture on Richmond Road for eight years, but when the time came to renew the lease the team realised it already has a venue sitting empty during the day.

“ It’s no secret that the hospitality industry is suffering tremendously and with very important venues closing down one after another, I felt it the best and safest option to relocate,” owner Janie tells Broadsheet. “We could have stayed and tried tirelessly to make it through this in the current space, or we could move over and operate out of the Yellow Matter site and consolidate operating costs to ensure longevity in both businesses.

“Although the decision is very bittersweet, from a business perspective it feels like it wasn’t really a decision but more of a no-brainer. We're just utilising an empty, beautiful and fresh space to its full potential.”

Come May 16, Karma & Crow will operate from 7.30am to 3.30pm on weekdays and 8am to 2.30pm on weekends before Yellow Matter takes the reins till late.

There are definitely perks to sharing space with a brewery: from 10am you'll be able to sip on Yellow Matter’s range of tap beers (maybe a Berliner Weisse with peach and blueberry, or a pilsner with orange blossom) plus wines and cocktails. The pizza oven will also fire up earlier for a menu of pizza-style sandwiches, and a possible breakfast pizza. (The existing Karma & Crow menu will be reworked, too.)

The cafe will also have more seating, parking and bike racks, and a pool table. “Most importantly, the venue is much more accessible for patrons with accessibility needs,” says Janie. “And yes, dogs are still welcome!” The signature greenery that made Karma & Crow a plant paradise is coming along for the ride, too. “[I’m] very conscious of keeping that same Karma presence,” says Janie. “We want to keep both venues feeling as separate as possible because they have a very different vibe from each other.”

But she’s excited about the “fresh new energy” the changes will bring to the cafe. “We’ve been blessed with the community we’ve created in Richmond and we just could not be more grateful to have had the opportunities we’ve had in that space,” says Janie. “It will always hold a special place in my heart and I’m sure in the hearts of many who have been loyal Karma followers right from the get go.

When Janie opened Yellow Matter last year it was the first move in a two-part plan with the goal of launching a neighbouring restaurant and bar, So Long Marianne. Janie says she’s now looking for another operator to take over that lease. “Sadly, we cannot bring this beauty to life without significant investment, which is a tough feat given the state of things. I’m hoping that someone special makes some magic with it, it is absolutely beautiful there.”

It’s further evidence of the issues hospitality is staring down in the face of inflation, rising interest rates, and more. "I’m not going to lie and say it isn’t really challenging right now,” says Janie. “The hospitality industry as a whole is so important for people’s wellbeing. It’s really disappointing to see our government completely absent in this discussion and rather, putting the focus on the general public to go out more and spend more money.”

She says the industry needs “tangible and long-term support”. “It would be nice to provide people with rebates when they dine out or something along those lines. Of course, if you can afford to go out, now's the time to do so. But we'd like to see our government step up so that everyone can afford to enjoy hospitality again, because truly, hospitality makes life worth living and we have some absolutely brilliant hospitality venues in SA.”

Karma & Crow closes on May 12 before reopening at Yellow Matter (at 108 Marion Road, Brooklyn Park) on May 16. From next week, Yellow Matter will be running a coffee cart and selling takeaway pizza sandwiches (Wednesday to Sunday from 9am to 2pm) in an effort to raise money to help with the move.

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