At her stylish cafe Lot 39, at Goomalling, Jodie Schell was running on all cylinders last month as the Dowerin Machinery Field Days crowds rolled through town, pulling in for a coffee and a snack.
Many were sidetracked when they entered the cafe to browse through her stunning homewares and clothing range, which was expanded this year to be sold at a pop-up outlet at the field days site.
It was the busiest week of the year for Ms Schell, who decided to open a cafe in 2019 when her four daughters went off to boarding school from the family farm 10 kilometres out of Goomalling and run by her husband, Chris.
The idea was to bring a taste of the city to the country.
This would be a place where friends and community groups could meet and enjoy a quality coffee.
Adding the homewares and clothing enterprise meant customers could also pick up a gift, spoil themselves, take home a gourmet delight or find something for their home without driving 130 kilometres to Perth.
It has proved to be a winning formula, attracting locals and tourists from a wide radius.
"We are lucky in Goomalling to be a junction town, where we get people coming through from many central Wheatbelt areas and those who are travelling from all parts of Western Australia and Australia," Ms Schell said.
"We have just started to map our customers and we are especially finding an increase in caravan traffic from the Eastern States.
"I am amazed at how many people come through, especially at this time of year, when we are heading into spring."
Each week Lot 39 pumps out 600-700 cups of coffee.
Cakes are supplied by Cadoux-based mum and baker Marlee Eustace, who works from home.
Meat comes from the Dowerin butcher and bread from the Toodyay Bakery.
Ms Schell's father-in-law does the daily bread run, making the cafe very much a family affair.
The cafe employs six to nine staff who come from Goomalling, Bolgart and Wongan Hills and its manager Christine Schorer is now entrenched in the local community, as she is marrying a Goomalling farmer.
Ms Schell knows her customer base well, having lived in this area her whole life.
She grew up in Jennacubine and did her schooling locally and in Northam before meeting her husband at a country football match.
"I have never lived anywhere else but the country and I love all aspects of it, especially the local sport and getting involved in the local community," she said.
With a background of working at the National Australia Bank and the Goomalling Community Bank branch of the Bendigo Bank and doing the family farm books for several years, Ms Schell has a good head for business and undertook a thorough strategic planning process before opening Lot 39 cafe to assess its viability.
"The concept of combining homewares and coffee was a good business model used in many cities and other regional towns," she said.
What has eventuated has far exceeded her expectations and her clothing and homewares range continues to expand.
"I am always looking for on-trend brands and those that are doing something a bit different," Ms Schell said.
Among her range she has Robert Gordon homewares, Status Anxiety bags, Little Lies clothing and Country Road is coming in September.
"I also stock products produced by local small business, including Measure My Tribe, Go Naked and Katie Chester's Art," she said.
"This gives these business women a platform to promote their handmade products."
Ms Schell said taking a range of clothing and homewares to the Dowerin Machinery Field Days increased exposure for the business and proved very valuable in attracting new customers.
She said the online store was also increasing in popularity.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Lot 39
39B Railway Terrace, Goomalling
Website: lot39.com.au
Facebook: lot39storecafe
Instagram: @lot39_storecafe
