Behind the ‘spros #2 Dan & Ellie, Laika Coffee
We met Dan and Ellie in Laika cafe, a large warehouse-turned-coffee-house in Lathlain, Perth. They have been working together for two years and you can tell by their ease with each other—the flow of their movements and the friendly banter as they decorate lattes one after the other. Apparently, they have both been consistent latte art (or should I say LMTU art??) smackdown winners—Ellie for the art, Dan for the free drinks…
Laika—described by Daniel as “a bit chaotic”—is a hip, lodge warehouse that admittedly serves the “best quality coffee we can”. The brick exterior is coupled with airy open spaces—inside and outside. The place and its people feel open, like a bright, welcoming grin or a friendly porch where you can sit for hours, talking and listening.
Sustainably sourced coffee? You bet they do. “Fairness and taste, kind of go hand in hand in my experience”, says Dan.
We ask them about Laika serving as the necessary third place in the local neighbourhood. Daniel is pretty sure that the good-quality coffee has brought the community together—Laika seems to have filled a third-place-shaped void at the heart of the community. And it goes both ways—regulars love Laika and Laika loves its regulars. The cafe also organises fun stuff, like market nights—where you can eat, drink and get your groceries for the week—, charity events, and more. There’s even a basketball hoop.
Inspiration comes in many guises, Daniel admits. From previous managers that are still deeply engaged with Laika, all the way to the Melbourne coffee scene. “We try to do things that are cool for Perth—maybe they’re not so cool for Melbourne, but we’re trying!” Uhm, seeing Laika, I’m pretty sure that they are, Daniel!
Cafes like Laika—that are local and inclusive—form the back bone of the modern communities. As common, physical spaces go down the internet drain, cafes rise to the occasion.
For that to work, though, for the locals to accept it as a home-away-from-home, the cafe has to have that authentic vibe that permeates Laika to its dog-loving bone! From the roaster they use to roast coffee and make their own signature blend, to the support of the West Coast Eagles players making it their hang-out spot in between games and training—Laika is the touch point of the whole neighbourhood.
How many from said neighbourhood order LMTUs? “About 20-25%”, comes the heartening answer. “We definitely support the movement!”
Alas, Dan and Ellie don’t know Hugh…but we had so much fun, we forgive them :)