Two fun guys and a dancing goat making the best coffee in Perth..... and they serve it with some yummy food and cakes
A Business built on Friendship.
Lloyd and Aaron have known one another for the best part of 10 years and they met at Voyage café, Sorrento, Lloyd, the Head Barista, Aaron a customer who frequented the café once a fortnight upon returning from mining.
Their bond began almost in an instant upon the mutual recognition and admiration of a band shirt Aaron was wearing one day, combined with a friendly gesture from him to sell Lloyd the spare one he had at home. They’ve been musical soul mates so to speak ever since.
They became regular acquaintances although infrequently, which turned into a friendship that has managed to stand the test of time. Aaron always sought Lloyd out for a good espresso coffee.
Lloyd opened a restaurant in Scarborough (The Blue Lines) a number of years later to which Aaron became a loyal patron even though it was miles from his home. It was however a very short lived experience for him due to an accidental electrocution incident which very nearly saw him part from this earth.
It was a very stark lesson for Lloyd at how fleeting life can be and how life changes in an instant.
Through a series of unfortunate experiences that ensued, the restaurant was forced to close. This was a very hard time for Lloyd to undergo (and for his friends to watch), not to mention an incredibly hard lesson to be experienced as to how tough business actually is.
As his friend it was hard for Aaron to see him fall mentally and physically. Aaron always thought it was a real stroke of bad luck and misfortune that Lloyd was subjected to and forever thought that his opportunity to shine was cut short. Aaron had always secretly wished to be able to prop him back up and set him back on the path he was meant to pursue. However, time and obviously money dictated otherwise.
After a lengthy period of time and Aarons exit from the mining industry, Lloyd and he began to spend more of their mutual spare time catching up, discussing music and frequenting good café’s, as Lloyd always knew where to go to get good coffee.
Through a number of nightmarish experiences at one of their favourite café’s, Lloyd and Aaron seriously started to talk about entering the espresso game and putting their money where their mouths were. They were certain that their combined personalities and passion toward good quality coffee would be a winning combination in business. And surely they could provide a better customer service experience?
6 – 9 months of research and frequenting great working café’s ensued and they decided on an initial concept of a very small scale affair and seriously contemplated the endeavour. By a chance meeting at an espresso industry event, their intent was heightened upon hearing on the grapevine that a great café named “The Dancing Goat” may be up for sale.
Upon first visit to the premises they were immediately seduced by the laidback feel of the setting of the café and instantly knew that they could work with the premises. Although it was a larger scale than they had envisioned and far more café driven, than Espresso Bar, they still believed that the opportunity was too good to pass up.
Despite Aaron’s wife’s objection, they truly felt drawn to this little café, believed in its potential and in theirs and driven by a written and signed friendship agreement, Aaron purchased “The Dancing Goat” on November 26, 2011 on their behalf, with intent for it to be 50% owned by Lloyd when and if he ever so chooses. That still holds true to this day.
- Category:
- Local business