The iconic DS Café in Huonville recently experienced a break-in on Tuesday, July 22 but its owners are far from broken.
Dave and Steve, the café’s spirited proprietors, were disheartened by the burglary but found solace in the community’s outpouring of support.
“I suppose we were both in disbelief,” said Dave.
“Something like this has never happened to us whatsoever.
“I don’t want to say we’re happy but relieved that there was no damage and there was no direct attack on us.”
Known for its welcoming atmosphere and diverse clientele, the DS Café is more than just a place for coffee or a soup by the fire.
It serves as a hub where various community groups gather, including LGBTIQA groups, church gatherings, dog walkers, and the Men’s Table.
The café opens its doors to everyone, creating a space of inclusion and warmth.
“That has always been the goal, for anyone to come in and feel welcome,” said Dave.
“The way people have responded to us has been genuine, very friendly and very honest. “We are different things to different people, but the general response has been concern and shock, and happiness that nothing has been broken.”
The café itself is a treasure trove of eclectic items, with walls adorned with souvenirs from Dave and Steve’s overseas trips, unique finds from local tip shops, and thoughtful gifts from both tourists and locals.
Fortunately, the thieves did not target these cherished mementos, though some of the stolen money was intended for various charities supported by the café.
“The community has told us how sorry they are for it to have happened,” said Steve.
“I had one lady try and give me $100 to put back into one of the charity boxes but I refused that,” he said with a smile.
Despite the initial shock of discovering the early morning break-in, Dave and Steve quickly reopened the café, with operations only mildly delayed.
“I think we’ve dealt with it pretty well because we made the choice at that time to move forward,” said Dave.
“The police were amazing, our two staff that were here in the morning were amazing.
“And we worked together and got it all cleaned up with the goal of being able to reopen as soon as we could, which was about two hours later.”
The community’s response has been swift and generous. Neighbours, regular patrons, and even strangers have rallied around Dave and Steve, offering well wishes, purchasing goods, and providing moral support. Calls on Facebook encouraged people to respond to the burglary by patronising the café, which they did in droves.
We’d like to say that we are really appreciative just to have the concern,” said Dave.
“Just to take the time to do that is really nice.”
“One thing we’d really like people to know is that everything here works both ways,” said Dave.
“The concern customers have shown us is the same level of honest concern we show for them when we’ve heard something has happened to them.
“We’re getting back what we’ve given I suppose, it’s wonderful karma.”
