Mixing community with coffee

For more than two decades, Scott Pond has been the face behind Jan Juc’s Swell Cafe, pouring coffees and plating meals.

Originally established in 1998, the business is celebrating 10 years at their present location.

Serving the community with all day breakfast, lunch and tasty treats, the cafe has become a favourite among locals.

Pond brought the business in 2003, admitting it was a spur of the moment decision.

“I had a friend who lived down here who was just looking for a change and I was also looking for a change,” he said.

“I was living in Melbourne at the time and he rang up and said ‘This place is for sale’.

“I wanted to move down the coast, so I jumped at it.”

 

Before taking on the coastal lifestyle, Pond was a house painter, although he comes from a family of chefs.

“I’ve always sort of been around the food industry and really interested in food and beverage,” he said.

“I really do love it, it’s challenging at times dealing with the general public but most of the time we have a lot of fun at work.”

With more than 20 years in business, he has experienced his fair share of challenges along the way, most recently COVID and the increased cost of living, taking it all in his stride.

“It’s good to be challenged, it would be boring if we were just rolling through without any challenges or any changes or obstacles in your path, we learn as we go.”

 

For Pond, the secret to success is making sure his team are supported and catered for, making for a good healthy work relationship.

“We all have struggles, everyone has struggles in their life, and if we’re open and honest and we talk to each other openly, we can work through all these things together, that’s definitely been a focus that we’re all in this together and we’ve got each others backs.”

A rarity in the hospitality industry, Swell has maintained its team for a long time, including chef David Diehm, who’s been with the business for 20 years.

“We’ve got a bit of a family vibe and we make sure we all look after one another and have a bit of fun,” Pond said.

Working in a team environment is something Pond really enjoys about owning the cafe, describing it as “heaps of fun when you’ve got a good team”.

“It’s just really enjoyable and as much as some members of the general public can be hard to deal with, most of the time people are happy, they’re out having a coffee or a drink or a feed and they’re happy and we’re just trying to help them enjoy those times that they have together.”

Pond said the cafe has become an amazing community space, something that wasn’t part of the original plan.

“You start to notice that we’re a meeting place, people come in on their own and the run into people that they either know or don’t know and there’s connection.

“That’s been the highlight is looking out there and saying wow, we’re providing an amazing space for people to come together and meet.

“We’ve tried to help facilitate that and make it nice and comfy and so I reckon that the highlight is looking out there and seeing people happy.”

When Pond first took over the business, he never expected to still be there more than 20 years later.

The original plan for the cafe was like many, to build it up and sell it.

“As time passed by, I realised that just playing the slow game and making a living was more preferable than trying to build it up, sell it, find something else and do the same, we’ve sort of become an institution now,” Pond said.

 

He believes one of the things making his business stand out is their location away from the main street, something not every trader could say.

As the closest cafe to Bells Beach, Swell has a relaxed vibe with people often coming in barefoot and straight from the surf.

“Where we are, people can get away from the hustle and bustle of the town, you could have that feeling of just about being anywhere and so that’s definitely different.”

The cafe has a very general focus, trying to make sure they’ve got something on offer for everyone from vegetarian and vegan through to gluten-free.

“If you had a table of four or six that come out for breakfast or lunch there is a genuine product for that individual person, not just something that’s been changed to suit at the last minute.

“The focus first and foremost is we want to make sure we look after our regulars.”

To get through the quieter times, the business also offers catering from weddings and 21st birthdays through to weddings and corporate events.

Swell Cafe is open seven days a week and can be found on Stuart Avenue in Jan Juc.

For more information, head to swellfoodscafe.com.au