Businesses set for busy reopenings
Business is looking promising for two Timaru eateries both reopening new-look premises, with one almost fully booked for its first weekend back, the other turning people away before the doors officially reopened.
Coffee Culture will open its doors again this morning after being closed for just over a month while the business was renovated.
Saikou, closed after a fire at the restaurant on May 29, reopened last night.
Regular Coffee Culture customers hoping to get their coffee fix back in the store yesterday after seeing staff inside, had to wait until today, as staff weren’t there to make coffees, but to clean and get the store ready.
‘‘Since about 7am [Friday] we have been telling people ‘sorry we open tomorrow’,’’ Coffee Culture Timaru manager Ambar Watts said.
‘‘We are in here today [Friday] cleaning up and making sure everything is all set to reopen the store tomorrow. There is a lot of wiping down to do, there is so much dust.’’
Coffee Culture has been operating from a cart outside the store since early June to keep customers caffeinated and staff hours up.
‘‘The cart was 100% worth it, we were well-supported by the community,’’ Watts said.
‘‘I was a bit surprised. We would have people coming right up until we would close.’’
Watts said staff were excited to be back in the store after some subzero morning temperatures in the cart.
This is the first renovation since the coffee franchise opened in Timaru 15 years ago.
‘‘People thought we had a renovation four years ago, but we had to close after the big hailstorm [in 2019] did a bit of damage we had to repair,’’ Watts said.
‘‘It is so much lighter and brighter in here, the lighting is better, and the feeling is much more open.’’
‘‘Timaru needed an upgrade, and it is looking so good, we are excited to open [on Saturday] and for our regulars to see the place,’’ Watts said.
‘‘If this morning and turning people away shows us anything, it’s that we will be busy tomorrow, and we really hope so.
Meanwhile, Saikou co-owner Jacob Stonehouse said they expect a busy weekend, and were almost fully booked by yesterday morning.
The fire, which happened while the restaurant was closed, was believed to have been caused by a combustion of oil, grease, cleaning agents and tea towels.
Three days before the fire, the restaurant launched a new menu, complete with new cocktails.
Stonehouse said they were excited to have the restaurant back and running with the new menu and thanked the community for their support.