Mudgee's cafe strip along Market Street is set to grow with a new business poised to open its doors in the coming weeks.
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Chelsea Jones is behind the new Rose Room Cafe at the site formerly known as Eltons. Chelsea bought the business at the end of June with help from her parents and is in the process of transforming the space into 'something for everyone'.
"I've always wanted my own cafe. I've loved cooking and baking since I was little. And it's always what I wanted to do. I said to my parents, 'look, will you support me in this?' And [they said], definitely, go for it," Chelsea said.
"It's a very home style, Parisian kind of thing. I'm just trying to make it a bit more welcoming, in that sense of where everybody and anybody can come. It's not just for young people to come to have a good drink... That's not what I'm really about.
"I'm not really focused on one specific demographic, I'm just focused on making sure it's a place for everybody..."
Chelsea said she is working hard to bring something different to the town and hopes to be open in the coming weeks. She is currently recruiting staff, something she has found challenging.
"...There's not a lot of staff out there at the moment for hospitality," she said.
"The thing is there are a lot of people out there who want to do it. They just, I suppose, don't want to do the hours. I'm not really sure."
"I hope people come and I hope people like the the atmosphere and the vibe, because it's just going to be more of a welcoming, relaxed place [more] than anything," she said.
Daniel Marzolla who co-owned Eltons with his brother Dean before selling to Chelsea declined an interview with the Mudgee Guardian but said he wishes her well.
"We've had some great times running Eltons since early 2021 and look forward to moving ahead with other ventures. The past couple of years have been very challenging for everyone in hospitality due to COVID-19 and ongoing staff shortages," he said.
"We wish the new owners well with all their future plans."
Chelsea said she is eager to open the doors and meet new customers in the coming weeks.
"I hope people come and I hope people like the the atmosphere and the vibe, because it's just going to be more of a welcoming, relaxed place than anything," she said.
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