Coffee, Community, and Art: Banter Coffee Kitchen is up for sale
If you've ever dreamed of opening your own café, stepping into something of your own, or turning your passion for community and coffee into your next venture, now may be your opportunity.
We talked to owner Stephen Payton about what makes Banter so unique, the decision to sell and what comes next.
Published 26 March 2023
Written by Sam Kirby
Photography provided
Banter Coffee Kitchen, the popular coffee shop located in the heart of Toowoomba's CBD, is currently on the market, and it could be your chance to take over and continue its legacy as a community-focused establishment amongst the city centre's thriving cafe scene.
Banter has been a beloved fixture in Toowoomba since 2019, when owner Stephen Payton first opened the doors, having owned and operated the espresso bar, Bunker Espresso at the site of Bunker Records at the same location. In the years since, the cafe has become known not only for its exceptional coffee and as a face-paced, bustling CBD favourite but also for its commitment to showcasing local artists through the in-store Brouhaha art gallery.
For Payton, Banter Coffee Kitchen has always been more than just a business venture. He wanted to create a space that embodied all the things he loves about coffee shops around the world - a place where people could come together to enjoy high-quality coffee, but also to connect with one another and with the local arts scene.
As a multi-disciplinary artist himself, program director for Nomad Pictures and director at First Coat Studios, Stephen explained that 'local affability', creating a space as a 'cultural bedrock' for the local community, and building something both unique and authentic had always been at Banter's core.
Sharing on the decision to sell, Stephen explained that the timing was now right, and that having been its custodian now for four years, it was time for someone else to have the opportunity to take the helm.
"I will really miss the people, the team and the Banter community, and I'm forever grateful for the never-ending support and love from the Toowoomba community, [but it's also] a celebration of creating something that has [been] everything I could have hoped for."
Entering a career in the education sector as a Secondary High School Teacher, having completed his studies, Stephen assures us, "you will still see me around, especially as a customer - and I will still be continuing with my art initiatives, at Nomad Pictures and our monthly film screenings in Toowoomba".
The business itself is listed for $150,000 as a walk-in, walk-out purchase, with sales and financial information available to interested parties via enquiry.
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