From vision to reality

In a world brimming with dreams and opportunities, Suzy Wadley’s remarkable journey stands as an inspir­ing testament to the pursuit of one’s passions. With un­wavering determination, she transformed her vision into a thriving business venture—a unique café and homewares store with an intentional focus on supporting women entre­preneurs and sourcing prod­ucts made in Tasmania and/or Australia.

Suzy was inspired to start her business venture a few years ago after she read an article that asked the question; “If you could envision your per­fect life, what would it look like?”. At the time Suzy was in between jobs and after feeling the stress of working in the finance industry, she didn’t want to pursue this as career.

Having visited the Loft under its previous ownership on nu­merous occasions, Suzy began to follow them on their Insta­gram page. “It’s just a lovely little shop that I used to come into and then I just happened to see that it was going to be put up for sale,” Suzy said.

It was at this moment that a powerful longing stirred within her, even though she acknowledged the intimidat­ing nature of the idea. With few financial obligations, Suzy had the confidence to proceed with reassurance that if she were to fail, it wouldn’t have a devastating impact on her financial wellbeing.

Since taking over, a coffee bar has been installed and other notable changes to the store such as some of the stock available for purchasing. “I’ve bought Will & Bear Hats, which there’s only one other stockist in Tasmania.”

Having no previous experience working in this type of envi­ronment, Suzy acknowledged she was still learning the ropes and said it wasn’t as simple as purchasing the stock as there are certain restrictions and brand approvals to navigate.

The inventory assortment is expected to undergo changes through this new adjustment phase as Suzy figures out what she would like to sell, and what her customers are really looking for. Rather than focussing on mass produced products, she is keen to sup­port Tasmanian/Australian owned businesses and busi­nesses owned by woman.

Since the store doesn’t have a traditional shop front due to being a heritage listed build­ing, it can be challenging for her to attract attention from passersby, leading to her needing to think outside the box to make people aware of her presence.

“I’m really trying to think out­side the box and think, well, how can I actually attract busi­ness in here when we’re not a traditional shop in the city.”

While there is some flexibility for modifications inside the store, the heritage restrictions have significantly limited what they can do to the exterior of the shop. This results in the lack of the traditional shop­front with large windows that attract attention.

Some of the best-selling products, excluding coffee, are books and products from the al.ive range. Interestingly, even after the closure of bookstores, there continues to be a strong attraction towards books, par­ticularly those that are distinc­tive and unique. Additionally, gift type stock has been selling remarkably well, as a substan­tial number of their custom­ers visit the store in search of something special for their loved ones.

“We try our best to research and vet the brands before bringing them into the shop. However, sometimes it’s like navigating smoke and mirrors. Supply chains can be complex, and it’s often challenging to trace the origin of a product. We strive to find Austra­lian-made options, but we also consider reputable interna­tional brands if we can’t find suitable local alternatives.”

Suzy’s day at the Loft often starts before the doors open at 8am. The mornings are bus­tling with a growing number of regular customers, includ­ing nearby police officers. The rest of the day sees a steady flow of customers, with peak periods during lunch and early afternoon until the espresso bar closes at 4pm.

“I’ve always been drawn to making living spaces beautiful. Even the simplest things, like a cup of coffee in a beautiful mug, can add to the aesthet­ics of everyday life. It’s about creating an environment that is visually pleasing. If I had the chance, I would have pursued this path from the beginning.”

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