By Lachlan Ellis<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a difficult four months for the owners of the Big Apple Caf\u00e9 after a break-in and assault, but they say the outpouring of support from the community has made a real difference.<\/p>\n
Caf\u00e9 owners Jodie and Meto temporarily closed the Big Apple Caf\u00e9 on Bacchus Marsh\u2019s Avenue of Honour, after a drug-affected man broke in after hours and attacked Meto with a hammer last November, leaving him with a brain injury.<\/p>\n
The couple re-opened the caf\u00e9 on 8 March, and while Meto says he feels better, he still struggles with memory issues and headaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you ask me, I say I feel alright. But I\u2019m not sure. People say I\u2019ve changed a bit, but I can\u2019t tell. It\u2019s hard, sometimes I struggle with my memory and stress. But I feel much better,\u201d Meto told the Moorabool News.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the last three years trying to survive [through the COVID pandemic], this happened after the first summer back. But we\u2019re grateful for the Bacchus Marsh community and our customers. They\u2019ve been amazing. I can\u2019t explain, \u2018grateful\u2019 isn\u2019t enough. The community said please stay, we\u2019ll support you\u2026for them I\u2019m staying here. This place is my life, my culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
On top of well wishes, cards, hugs and flowers, the Bacchus Marsh community have also chipped in around $12,000 to help Jodie and Meto cover the costs incurred by the ordeal, and some customers have even offered to do volunteer work at the caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n
While Jodie and Meto were reluctant to take money from the community, what they owed for rent, repairs, and supplies meant they had to swallow their pride for the sake of the caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Jodie thanked the local community for their generosity, and keeping their beloved caf\u00e9 afloat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy to see all our regulars and friendly faces again, and everyone supporting us has been amazing. The amount of people who have donated to us is unbelievable, all the cards, flowers, gifts\u2026I can\u2019t explain it, I can\u2019t find the words,\u201d Jodie said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought we were covered for loss of income, but we weren\u2019t\u2026I\u2019d encourage people to check their insurance details very carefully. They told me everything was knocked back except the door, the till, and the lock on the door. Plus our landlords need their rent, electricity payments.<\/p>\n
\u201cInsurance gave us $900 or so, they said we weren\u2019t covered for the food spoilage because it didn\u2019t happen that night, it happened because we couldn\u2019t open. Interruption to business they only pay if you can\u2019t open the building\u2026we had the door fixed within a few days, so the insurance said we could use the building after that. We didn\u2019t have a till though. Work cover couldn\u2019t pay Meto because it only pays for staff that may hurt themselves, not the sole trader.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once things at the Big Apple Caf\u00e9 are back to normal, Jodie and Meto plan to \u201cpay forward\u201d the kindness that has been shown to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what we\u2019ll do, but we want to do something to say thank you to the community, once we get back on our feet and bring back a normal menu,\u201d Jodie said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Lachlan Ellis It\u2019s been a difficult four months for the owners of the Big Apple Caf\u00e9 after a break-in and assault, but they say the outpouring of support from the community has made a real difference. Caf\u00e9 owners Jodie and Meto temporarily closed the Big Apple Caf\u00e9 on Bacchus Marsh\u2019s Avenue of Honour, after […]<\/p>\n