Waihi cafe goldmine in bustling provincial town
Kava is a licensed caf, bar and restaurant on Seddon St in the centre of Waihi. It is listed for sale with Lynda Smyth of Link Business Brokers, who says: “Kava Cafe is named after the Croatian word for coffee not after the Polynesian drink. Kava means coffee in many Eastern European countries. It might not always be spelt ‘kava’ but that is the way it is pronounced.”
The business was established over 20 years ago. It is well known to both locals and visitors to Waihi, serving excellent coffee and good-value Kiwi fare.
Kava is fully licensed every night of the week until 1am, but the current owners open for evening dining only on Friday and Saturday nights.
The business is currently based around good-quality classic dishes but could be developed into something more upmarket if desired.
There is potential to create a wine or cocktail bar and make the business more of an evening social destination. There are many alternative ideas for refurbishing and developing the licensed restaurant, with very little competition in Waihi.
The business is well situated on the town’s main road with excellent foot traffic and a small deck beside the pavement. It has produced a good, steady profit for the owners over the past 10 years.
The caf has seating for 40, with a separate upstairs area set up for families with young children. They serve small functions such as birthday parties and even the occasional wedding.
Kava has also had some very successful special themed nights, based around a particular country’s food.
The business is also set up for catering events, but this has not been promoted.
“Waihi is a great place to have a caf as it is a popular lunch stop for people travelling from Auckland to the Bay of Plenty and back,” Smyth says.
“Kava caf has loyal local customers throughout the year, boosted by the many visitors biking the Hauraki Rail Trail or staying at their beach baches over the summer.
“However, there is still a large volume of traffic through the town all year round.”
“Waihi has a rich mining history and was once one of the most prominent gold and silver mines in the world. Today mining remains a key industry for Waihi, which still has several gold and silver mines.
“Owning this business represents a wonderful opportunity for someone to own a business at Waihi and live at one of the best beaches in the Bay of Plenty.
“Waihi Beach is just 10 minutes’ drive over the hill from Waihi and offers a fabulous beach and fishing lifestyle for those who are lucky enough to live there.”
Kava would suit a couple with some experience of hospitality, keen to have their own profitable business.
The current owner has the main responsibility for managing the business and they have a qualified chef who has been with the business for many years.
The other owner works part-time in the business.
There would be a handover period and the vendors would give full assistance to ensure a smooth transition.
As the current owners point out, there will be growth in this business when the overseas tourists come back, as the Waihi Martha Mine, Hauraki Rail Trail and Karangahake Gorge historic walkway are all popular attractions.
After 10 years the owners are now ready for a change and this licensed caf and restaurant is a great opportunity for enthusiastic new owners to achieve significant growth. The asking price is $160,000.
Contact: Lynda Smyth,
Link Business Broking, lynda.smyth@linkbusiness.co.nz; Phone 021 270 4271