By NICOLE VALICEK
THE strong aroma of rich coffee beans is now a permanent smell around the Altona rail station thanks to one resident.
The Bohemia Blend cafe situated inside the platform at the Altona station was brought to life by Monika Mac Gibbon four months ago and already has a loyal following of regular customers.
Along with exceptional service, Mrs Mac Gibbon has brought a former piece of history back to Altona by re-opening a similar kiosk to the one that existed at the original station.
“I wanted to become part of the local traders to help further develop a more distinct Altona style,” Mrs Mac Gibbon said.
Mrs Mac Gibbon is there to cater for a very important time for commuters- first thing in the morning.
“Coffee for me is the start of the day. It’s a time to help you prepare for whatever it is that you do during the day,” Mrs Mac Gibbon said.
“In recent times, we’ve added pure Belgian style wafflers as a grab and go for our clientele.”
Born in Czech, Praha, Mrs Mac Gibbon has lived in Australia and Altona for nine years, with her husband Craig who was born and bred in the suburb.
It took nearly two years for the concept of the business to come to life, but Mrs Mac Gibbon said she held a sense of belonging to the community.
The involved and engaged barista said she was an Aussie at heart but decided to keep a part of her roots and name the business after a region of Czech called Bohemia.
Bohemia Blend is open Monday to Friday 6am to 1pm and Saturdays 8am to 1pm.
