image: supplied
Keeping the Faith
When Ezra Pound opened in Northbridge back in September
2009, it was among several front-runners to redefine our capital city’s
hospitality topography. Small bar licenses had recently been given the green
light, and the people of Perth were hell-bent on embracing the small bar scene.
Cut to five years on, and the boys behind Ezra Pound - Talmage Andersen and Jan
Kulski - are back with their next offering, Old Faithful.
“Old
Faithful is an idea that sparked while I was travelling through the US in 2011”, says
Melbourne-raised Talmage
“After
sitting at an American barbecue restaurant eating a plate full of smoked meat
and drinking one of the most delicious IPA craft brews, it seemed like a
no-brainer to me. The trick was to translate the idea to the Australian market,
which wasn't really that hard considering how much we love barbecue and beer
here anyway.”
It’s
no secret that the industry is spawning new eateries by the acreage, despite
all the party-pooper bureaucratic red tape that goes with it.
“I’m
really enjoying watching the growth of the hospitality scene here in Perth,”
says Talmage.
“It’s
even more humbling to be a part of that growth, while helping to add culture to
this beautiful city. I love seeing some of our hospitality professionals
getting into their own venues, and adding their unique style and design to our
once-boring hospitality landscape. I certainly think one of the biggest
challenges for small business operators is the lengthy process in obtaining
your license to trade. It can take up to one year to process, and when you’re
paying rent on an empty space for a year, this can turn into a costly exercise.”
Despite the challenges, stay tuned - the boys have whispered to us they may be planning a cheeky little pop-up bar very soon.
