Dello Mano Brownies on the Move!

Earlier this year with the threat of water approaching our little kitchen at Breakfast Creek wharf we were given the opportunity to reflect on our growth as a business and our steps moving forward. For a few days we sat and waited for the waters to peak and during that time resolved that it was most probably time to move on from the Original Dello ManoLuxury Brownie home here at Brekky Creek.  As the days passed our first indication that the kitchen remained dry was on the Friday as we watched a News report from a helicopter talk through the damage along the river. We could see our bins were standing still, not floating and could safely assume that the top level of Brekky Creek Wharf had stayed dry. Sadly for many of the other tenants the lower levels didn't fair as well.

[caption id="attachment_539" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Flood Waters at Dello Mano- Brekky Creek Brisbane"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_551" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="flood damage at the base of the carpark at the home of Dello Mano"][/caption]

Dry the Dello Mano kitchen was but unfortunately the power had been turned off early in the week and all of our product and stock was lost. As we sorted added bag on bag of rubbish to the pile we decided that in the new light we would search for a new home for Dello Mano and our little baby brownies.

[caption id="attachment_541" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="the start of the Brownie pile up as we cleaned out our store rooms"][/caption]

We were wounded after the floods but relative to so many others we were dry and decided it was a matter of picking up and getting going. Importantly it was time to assess our business and take the next scary step forward. Having looked around at many places we were called to come and look at a property at 29 Doggett St. Teneriffe. With another place firmly in my mind, we went down to just take a look anyway. There sitting looking back at us was the cutest little corner shop. We were in love. I imagined the doors tall and inviting surrounded by greenery just like the stores we had visited in France. Although I was keen not to recreate a French look alike, this corner had magic and so with this we were swept up in the romance of the little corner store.

The whole building was once a mechanics workshop I believe and the developers had basically deconstructed the building when we came along. The good news for us was that there was the opportunity to have some involvement in the building and the way it would be set out.

[caption id="attachment_543" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Dello Mano New Home at Teneriffe"][/caption]

Work began in earnest planning our new Dello Mano home ( and home for us since we spend so much time with our brownies). Plans were drawn and drawn and redrawn.

As would be fitting, our new Brownie home lease was signed on top of an esky under the canopy of our stall at the Brisbane Farmers Market in Redacliff Place in the city.

[caption id="attachment_544" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Benny signing the Dello Mano lease 29 Doggett St. Teneriffe Brisbane"][/caption]

The fun and hard work was just beginning with a kitchen that looks like this below:

[caption id="attachment_545" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Dello Mano Luxury Brownie kitchen at Teneriffe Brisbane"][/caption]

Small business is a funny thing. We started the year in the mess of the flood and we are finishing it with a building project that took us backward before we can move forward.