This is a loss that will be deeply felt among Geelong’s community of hospitality professionals and brunch-lovers.
Whether you need a business-friendly brunch or a lazy central Sunday hotspot, North Geelong’s Café Bear and Scoobs has long been known as one of the best spots for brunchin’ and getting your hands on the best Vanilla Slice since swinging open their doors six years ago.
Having been forced to close its doors on multiple occasions over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and navigate the ever-changing restrictions placed on hospitality venues, the well-loved cafe owners Mark Butcher (Bear) and Dave Scoble (Scoobs) have made the heartbreaking decision to close their doors for the last time.
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In a candid video posted to social media, the business announced that the cafe had ceased trading and been placed into voluntary liquidation as of Monday, January 31 2022.
“As you know I’ve done a couple of these and I’ve sent them out for everyone to see, I’ve been quite open and honest about how we’ve been going, but this is probably the toughest one I’ve had to do and it’s just to advise people, all the staff, and all our regular customers who have just been so kind to us over the last six years, Bear and Scoobs was built out of a love of food and a love of people, that’s where we’ve come from, but as of Monday Bear and Scoobs go into voluntary liquidation,” Mark revealed in the video.
“We genuinely say we loved every minute of the six years we had at Café Bear & Scoobs as hard and tough as it has been we made lifelong friends both customers and staff,” he wrote in the accompanying post.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t personally say goodbye to everyone as it’s so raw and emotional. However please take this as a big thank you for all your support over the last six years. Our motto was always love of food and the love of people.”
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Having only just moved to a larger location at the end of 2020, the past two years have been an emotional rollercoaster for the business with abrupt closures, inconsistent reopenings, changes in public health guidance for operations and other state-mandated orders pushing the food service industry to the brink.
A beloved part of the local Geelong community, Mark has shared a handful of raw and heartbreakingly candid videos to social media discussing the direct impact the pandemic had on the business and the hospitality industry more broadly. These videos garnered widespread support from the community, with thousands of videos and hundreds of likes and shares.
Renowned as the dessert kings around town, since opening their doors Café Bear and Scoobs pride themselves on their individualised customer service and offering a safe space as part of the local LGBTIQ+ community. Their venues oozed a warm and wholesome vibe, becoming both a destination and an experience, with a menu that kept you coming back again and again.
Café Bear and Scoobs, thank you for all you’ve done for our community. Your absence will be deeply felt.
