Swimsuit Coffee owner Tait Burge is swimming against the tide of cafe closures and has expanded his business from Wellington's central city to the suburbs.
The Covid-19 pandemic has not stopped the 27-year-old from pursuing his goal of opening three sites by the time he's 30.
Swimsuit Coffee on DixonSt in the city was open for 10 months before Covid-19 first arrived in the country in 2020.
At the end of last year Burge opened his second cafe in Miramar with business partner William Bridewell-Roberts, also 27, just weeks before Omicron knocked on the door.
When the site on Park Rd became available in November, Burge acknowledged the timing wasn't ideal.
"But was one of those things where if we didn't act on it, we probably wouldn't have another chance to do anything here.
"We kind of thought if people are working from home, then we will go to them."
Burge lives in the neighbouring suburb of Seatoun and has always wanted to open a cafe in the eastern suburbs. The site is one of the last stand-alone buildings of its kind in Miramar facing the morning sun, Burge said.
Support from other players in the industry has also been important for Burge and he encouraged his peers to reach out for a chat.
Burge said this year has been the toughest yet for hospitality and it was upsetting to see other businesses close their doors.
"It's going to be pretty interesting to see if the city's kind of culture can build back up because I don't think people realise how much of a positive environment hospitality brings to a city.
"Especially one like Wellington where we're known for really good coffee and food. If all the good ones are going, what's it going to leave?"
For Swimsuit, Burge described the pandemic as being a wild ride.
The cafe in Miramar has been doing well, although the level of business can be quite changeable day-to-day.
