Historic shop site takes the cake

THE well-known baking brand Kittelty’s is set to return to a public shopfront, this time in Ballarat East.

Owner Sara Kittelty, who last had a cafe in Ballarat in 2019, will reopen in the former Apollo’s Fish and Chips building on the corner of Queen Street South and Victoria Street.

She said the long-vacant Victorian-era premises suited both the brand and the style of baking she is known for, and is excited to restore the building to reflect the area’s vintage feel.

“The cakes I make are kind of like ones your nanna would have made, so there’s a bit of vintage – Victorian, second-hand furniture, tea cups and saucers, pretty plates, silver spoons; the regular Kittelty thing,” she said.

A caterer for many Ballarat businesses, Ms Kittelty said returning to a shopfront would allow her to accommodate customers’ immediate needs.

The shop will offer cakes and a range of local items.

“I like a new challenge and especially since COVID and everything’s finished, people are back to being regular consumers of food and activities,” Ms Kittelty said.

“I’m hoping that here I can have a display of whole cakes ready to go.”

She was grateful for the support she had received from residents, many of whom had deep ties to the premises.

“People have been incredibly supportive and excited and invested,” Ms Kittelty said.

“Everyone’s got a story about the Apollo Fish and Chips shop, or George’s Fish and Chips shop, or even longer than that ago.

“I feel very lucky to have my turn at this shop of doing something people in the future can talk about as well.”

Ms Kittelty hopes to open the shop around late March or April.