It’s all jumping at the north end of Caba. If you want to find someone, you go to Kartel, The Stunned Mullet or Elusiv Life surf. These are cool hangouts. People drop into Kartel Expresso Bar, managed by Renae Wagland, for coffee, a chat and to read the cluttered community notice board. Renae loves Cabarita and thought the vacant shop was a great spot for a doorway style coffee stop. She trained as a barrista in London and worked in four similar businesses on the Gold Coast before setting up Kartel with her business partner. Kartel employs six locals part-time and trains them to serve their customers in a friendly and efficient manner. Renae is very community minded and regularly exhibits local artists’ work. She believes business needs to be closely involved with the community and recently hosted the National Tree Planting Day exhibition.
Next door is The Stunned Mullet, a funky fish and chip shop owned by Lindy Peters and Bruce Zillman. The name came from talented sons, Deon and Jamie, who also designed the zany signage and menus. This is their first business, but Bruce is the son of a professional fisherman and he knows his product, while Lindy has extensive experience in a large school canteen. They believe their success is based on quality home-made products. All their salads and sauces are made freshly on site – even the garlic and breadcrumbs are chopped and crushed out the back. They have just been nominated for Business of the Year. Customers love being called by name.
Complementing the scene is the new surf shop Elusiv Life owned by local surfing champion, Steve Powell and partner Kate Noaller. Powelly decided to set up his business of custom-made surf boards and a range of trendy beach clothes because of the great vibe created by Kartel and the Stunned Mullet. This spot is loud with conversation and dog friendly camaraderie. It’s a welcoming vista as the gateway to Caba.
