Hawthorne Garage

If you’re looking for gourmet items for your next recipe, you are likely to find it here. Or a quick lunch (or dinner), choices are available in the deli section.
This is a small market, and yes some of the prices are high, as they say «you get what you pay for.» Quality items and options. On occasion they do offer specials on their fruit and vegs, and their produce is of high quality. Finger limes are here. Edible flowers are here.
I absolutely love that the owners are hands on, as they are often found working there. DNA Espresso is part of their deli section (they also have a window to order from outside). And it is one of the few places you can get your java as early as 6:30 AM and late as 8:30 PM.
Help yourself to some lemon infused water outside and sit and relax with your purchases.
Quick recipes are displayed on the store’s window (far right side of front entrance, outside of produce area). They give you permission to take a picture of the recipes. Very green idea!

10÷1÷2013
In business circles I’ve heard the addage that 80% of business comes from 20% of customers, and is essential for any business to survive. One would imagine that the reason 20% of those customers are «loyal» is because of Great service, value for money (especially for unique products), and convenience, as well as some other factors.
Unfortunately for Dan and Andy’s Hawthorne Garage, as of 9:05am on this fine Thursday morning, they did not pass the first test of customer service. We arrived at about 9am, keen on sampling some coffee and a little breakfast. The store looked immaculate, and we walked towards the coffee making area of the store, eyeballing the several of the bagels, quiches, and rolls on display. Stood around for about 30 seconds looking at these items, then we stepped over to their outdoor seating area, checking if there were any breakfast items listed on the blackboard. A few people with their coffees were sitting outside enjoying the morning sunshine. We hoped to be one of them soon enough. There weren’t too many customers at all this time of the morning, inside and outside. Stepped back inside again to inspect what we could order, standing around for a few minutes. We observed that there were about 5 staff members behind the counter.
At this point we decided to seek an alternative. Even as we started to walk away, other staff members on the aisles seemed oblivious. Perhaps 9am is still too early, and they could be excused for being half asleep. The biggest issue for us, and most telling from the experience was the lack of greeting and a simple hello from anyone. Additionally, once we were obviously standing around, contemplating choices, the staff members behind the counter (one was making coffee), had no inkling (or desire?) to ask if we needed any assistance. It’s a shame, because Dan and Andy’s Hawthorne Garage is quite unique; the site itself was originally an auto-​mechanic garage. They have a range of good gourmet products on offer, organic and gluten free options, as well as a clean and easy-​to-​navigate store layout.
As a rule of thumb people will pay a little more for unique products (the store is a little expensive), and if the store has that «something» different to offer. But regardless, customer service is paramount for most. I strongly believe that service underscores one’s overall experience, and the underlying factor why any customer would ever come back to a business and hence provide that business their Raison d’être.
Our previous experience of Dan and Andy’s Hawthorne Garage within the last year, when we’ve had to purchase some grocery items was quite good, and we were impressed with the store’s overall presentation, products, convenient parking and operating hours. So it is only based on that experience that we are inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt this time around and hope that they can improve.

Products: Think your local supermarket except much smaller but with fresher fruit & vegetables and an eclectic range of quality baked, packaged and deli foods. A lot of it you won’t be able to find easily anywhere else in Brisbane.
Venue: There is an attached ‘hole in the wall’ for coffee and a front area with tables and chairs. The place itself is immaculate. Buy stuff at the deli and consume it out front with a coffee. Brilliant!
Parking: Street and open on-​site parking.
Service: Friendly and fairly knowledgeable about their products.
Price: Expensive. Don’t ditch your regular supermarket unless you have the money to spend.
Other: Open to 8pm every day including coffee! Has an amazing range of products for parties/​gatherings/​picnics: dips, cheeses, cold meats, drinks, and that’s not even considering the deli.
Context: Local who shops here fairly frequently but only for a handful of items. Cost is the largest factor.

The Hawthorne Garage is a shrine to well-​designed packaging, DNA coffee and fresh everything. It’s nirvana walking the small but amply stocked aisles, all the while convincing yourself you just have to have that spice or spread. Do yourself a favour, order a coffee from the counter as you walk in, take a basket and wander. I can’t be held responsible for your bank balance after you leave!

With its name an homage to the previous business that existed on the site (the beautiful old façade of which was used as part of the new building), Dan & Andy’s Hawthorne Garage has finally opened its doors to the public. I say «finally» because I’ve driven past almost every day on my way to work and the «coming soon» banners have been teasing me for at least the last six months (maybe nine, or twelve even). When I drove past earlier this week and noticed customers enjoying their beverages out the front, I almost wept for joy, and prioritised a drop-​in.
Because who doesn’t love a deli? And that’s what the Garage is, a glorious deli, an upmarket supermarket for those who can afford $ 13 for a punnet of blueberries (I sincerely hope each berry comes with a guarantee of sweetness). Local brothers Dan & Andy have brought to life a grocer /​produce /​deli /​meat /​bakery /​fine food /​coffee shop. The space is much bigger than most similar billings I’ve browsed in Brisbane, and next time I go back, I’m making sure I have a good hour to take my time strolling through each aisle. I will also leave my wallet in the safe hands of a friend.
I am keen on the fact that the Garage’s own DNA Espresso bar (accessible via the deli counter or out the front at its own window) is open from 6am until 8pm every day, and I hope they don’t end up scaling back on that because of lack of demand. The coffee itself (I had a flat white), while very nice, isn’t quite up to the calibre of my daily morning brew (from Cup, so I kinda have high standards) — so I won’t be altering my daily caffeine fix, but I’ll be more than happy to pick up a cheeky takeaway whenever I find myself buying some Barambah Organics yoghurt, or Bagel Boys bagels, or Leavain bread, maybe a cupcake from Jocelyn’s Provisions, or some Fever Tree mixers, or some of my favourite gourmet dips that I was overjoyed to see on the shelves here. Pick up some fresh flowers for your mum from the Campbell & Bradley flower corner.
There’s on-​site parking around the back and you can pay for your takeaway coffee along with your other finds at the main checkouts. If you come in from the carpark, there are some adorable little trolleys for you to pop your shopping in. Look… seriously, somebody please take my wallet off me. I think it’s time for a picnic!