One of the new owners of Mail Box Cafe in Strathmerton, Abhi Sharma.
Photo by
Abby Green
Strathmerton's beloved Mail Box Cafe is under new management, with customers set to see a range of exciting changes in the coming weeks and months.
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New owners Abhi Sharma and his wife, Himani, are excited for what the future holds, and said they had been overwhelmed by the warm welcome they had received from the local community.
Mr Sharma said the couple had been working in hospitality since 2022 and already owned two other businesses — Cherish Brews and Bites in Numurkah and Dosa Hut in Shepparton.
Their work in the community through Cherish Brews and Bites was recognised when Mr Sharma received the Jack Duncan Vocational Service Award from Numurkah Rotary last week.
Mail Box Cafe marks the couple’s fourth hospitality venture, having started with a coffee trailer.
Mr Sharma said they first learned the cafe was for sale through one of their chefs at Dosa Hut.
“I always love drinking coffee, making coffees, having a chat with people, and so I thought, ‘why not go for another cafe?’” he said.
Olivia Hanley, 17, behind the register and ready to greet customers.
Photo by
Abby Green
Mr Sharma said the couple wanted to ensure any changes in the cafe reflected what the community wanted.
“It’s not about us and what we want to do ― it's about what the people of Strathmerton want,” he said.
“I want this place to be for them, to feel welcome and want to keep coming back.”
Among the first additions will be a small grocery section to help meet a need in the town.
“When we took over, we thought there is no grocery store or anything in town and the closest is either Cobram or Numurkah, so I thought, ‘I need to make a little grocery section,’” he said.
The couple also plan to stock more locally made drinks, expand the range of sports and energy drinks, install an ice freezer and an ice-cream freezer, and add a camping and fishing section.
They have already introduced new cabinet food and plan to further expand the menu by installing a bain-marie to offer hot food.
Mr Sharma said the cafe had also been rearranged to create a cosier atmosphere, with tables and chairs repositioned to allow customers to enjoy the view outside.
They also plan to extend the kids’ section in the back dining area, install a heater to make the space more comfortable during winter and introduce a book exchange.
Opening hours have already been extended from 7am to 4pm, with the possibility of opening until 6pm in the future, as well as trading on weekends and opening from 6am during summer.
“I love Strathy because I feel that people are more welcoming here,” Mr Sharma said.
“They just want to talk and know how you are doing, and I just love chatting with people.”
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