Farhana Amir, owner of Wagga’s Oliver Brown Belgium Chocolate Cafe, is making final touches to the store in preparation for its official opening on 6 November. Photos: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
Chocoholics, prepare to assemble as the ultimate destination for decadent desserts and authentic Belgian chocolate comes to Wagga Wagga.
Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe is going through its final fitout behind closed doors on Baylis Street, outside the Sturt Mall.
“Oliver Brown is an authentic Belgian chocolate cafe,” said franchisee Farhana Amir.
“Whoever loves chocolate and has a sweet tooth will love it.”
One complaint often heard in Wagga is the lack of open cafes in the CBD after the mid-afternoon. It’s a gap in the market that Farhana hopes to fill, with lashings of sweet, sticky chocolate available from 8 am to 9 pm.
“If you love chocolate, you should give it a try. Belgian chocolate on top of everything … waffles, crepes and coffees, adds a different dimension,” she said.
“There is nothing comparable to this at the moment [in Wagga]. Other businesses offer sweets and desserts, but this is the main attraction.”
The store is set for its official opening on Monday, 6 November, and on the following Wednesday will feature all-day $5 waffles.
The menu offers a range of hot chocolates, including crunchy balls, mint, coconut and whipped cream, coffee, cold drinks and shakes, while the ”indulgence” range includes strawberry dip, fondue, baked churros, crepes and waffles.
Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe, which aims to fill a niche in the market, is outside Sturt Mall in Baylis Street.
Despite her jitters about launching her new store, Farhana has confidence in the product.
“I believe in what we’re bringing to the market,” she said.
Farhana moved to Australia from Bangladesh in 2016 and started working at her family business, Guzman y Gomez, while pursuing medical lab science studies at Charles Sturt University.
She decided to open the new store because of her love of chocolate and a drive to do something independently.
“One day, my business partner Priyanka Bathula told me she would love to open something like Oliver Brown in Wagga … I told her I was thinking the same,” Farhana said.
“We researched and found nothing similar to Oliver Brown in the region.”
Farhana Amir says anyone who loves chocolate will be impressed with what Oliver Brown offers.
Excited by the idea, they reached out to Oliver Brown and got the ball rolling.
“The head office was prompt, the process was not hard or tiring, and they were very helpful,” Farhana said.
The 33-year-old and her business partner have been working on opening the store for the past four months and hope that the new venture will be a boost to the community and the local economy.
With a plan to open in time for Christmas, Farhana said the cafe would sell retail chocolate products, cups and chocolate-making kits, and people would be able to make gift boxes.
Oliver Brown fare will also be available through Uber Eats, Menulog and DoorDash. Follow the cafe on Instagram to find out more.
Oliver Brown Belgian Chocolate Cafe is at 5/135 Baylis Street, Wagga Wagga, and will be open from 8 am to 9 pm.
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