Familiar home for hospo return

THE opening of a new cafe in Ballarat East earlier this month has signalled something of a homecoming for the family behind the counter.

In operating their first hospitality venture in five years, Janeen and Allan Sternberg have returned to their stomping grounds with their new business called Sweet Arts Cafe.

Previously the pair founded and ran a cafe in Mount Helen for 10 years, and Ms Sternberg said she’s glad to be doing what she loves again in a nostalgic setting.

“It’s good to be back in this area again,” she said. “A lot of the locals were crying out for this place to be revamped and reopened.

“We both grew up in this area. We’d come here in the 70s and 80s when it was a fish shop. Allan’s dad still lives on the corner here. We’re only a block away now.

“I’d been working in a lot of hospitality venues since we sold the cafe but my heart wasn’t in it and I wanted to do something for myself again.”

With a cool pink and white motif and photos of iconic pop culture couples, Ms Sternberg said the cafe maintains a “mid-century modern Palm Springs” aesthetic.

The owners are in talks to have a rotation of small businesses to advertise, as well as hold art exhibitions once the cafe is further developed.

Ms Sternberg said part of the aim of Sweet Arts Cafe will be to highlight small home-based pastry businesses like Every Little Crumb and Sharon’s Kitchen.

“That’s where ‘Sweet’ comes from in the name because we have a lot of sweets and support those businesses to get their name out there,” she said.

“‘Arts’ was because my hubby’s very artistic and we’ll be having a lot of that sort of stuff in here.

“It’s a good feeling to be back here in the neighbourhood we both grew up in supplying with good coffee and fresh food. That’s all people want these days.”