After closing the doors on his original location – a short-term arrangement in Hahndorf’s Thiele’s Shop – in June, a move to the CBD marks an exciting evolution for Tom Oswald and his Homeboy brand.
“I’m so excited to launch ‘SZN 2’ of Homeboy in the CBD, it’s a complete contrast to Hahndorf,” Oswald tells Broadsheet. “It’s a perfect next step and a completely different environment, feel, and customer base being near the unis.”
The cafe – with its Scandinavian and Japanese-inspired aesthetics – takes up a small but stylish space on the ground floor of Yugo Adelaide, a 725-bed student accommodation building on North Terrace.
“I love Japanese culture and style,” says Oswald. “Incorporating the dark wood brought life into the minimalist setup that was already here.”
The takeaway-geared site – secured thanks to Renew Adelaide, which activates vacant spaces by offering rent-free periods – has an intimate courtyard, planter boxes, and a hole-in-the-wall service window in keeping with the faster pace of the city. It retains Homeboy’s hallmark simplicity, with room to expand in the future.
“We purposely started with a simple menu so we could grow and take on customer feedback as well – I’m always open to new ideas.”
The concise menu features four sandwiches, including a mortadella and cheddar toastie, and the “Tommy’s Pick” (prosciutto, mozzarella, rocket and balsamic glaze) on fluffy focaccia. “We’re sticking to the basics but doing it all really well – fresh ingredients every day with the freshest bread I could find from Prove Patisserie,” says Oswald.
“We’re going hard on mum’s cinnamon scrolls, too,” he adds. “We’re pumping them out every 30 minutes – I want them to be fresh and warm every time you have one, not sitting there for hours.” Pair one with a coffee made with Oswald’s own Homeboy coffee beans.
Social media has played a significant role in Homeboy’s journey from the very beginning; the 19-year-old’s candid and transparent content about the ups and downs of running a small business resonated with online audiences worldwide.
“I’m not scared to fail,” he says. “Even if something goes wrong, it’s part of my story and I want to show people that that’s okay, bad things happen – last week the place flooded just before my opening! I think people connect with Homeboy because they’ve seen it from the start when I had zero followers – they feel like they know me already.”
While the journey to this point hasn’t been without its challenges, Oswald is quick to credit the support he’s received along the way. “I want to say a huge thank you to Renew Adelaide and Thiele’s Shop/The Paint Box for giving me the opportunity in the first place. Without them, I literally wouldn’t be here,” he says.
Renew Adelaide not only found the Yugo space, it also guided the young operator throughout the process. “They’ve been an amazing support. Finding the right people, like my builders (Splintr) and architects/designers (Echelon Studios), made all the difference too.”
For the first time, he’s also hired his own team, which he calls “the best part” of the new chapter. “I’ve never had anyone to bounce off of – it was always just me. Having them allows me the time to stop and connect with customers and focus on building a community, which I love.”
Looking ahead, Oswald has big plans, including collaborations and even a charity run club. “I want this to be a space where like-minded people can connect over good coffee and conversation. I also hope to inspire other young people to go after whatever dreams they have, to give them confirmation that it is possible.”
Homeboy
266–269 North Terrace, Adelaide
Hours:
Tue to Sat 7am–3pm
