First look: Little Luxton

Posted on 27 October, 2022

For Nate Swift, coffee has always been about building community and bringing people together.

So it’s fitting that his newly opened café, Little Luxton, was made possible through community spirit.

The idea for the café—situated at the Gordon Community Centre—was born three years ago while Nate was working at the centre as a Chaplain.

“There wasn’t one local café in the southern suburbs of Conder, Gordon, Banks, Theodore and Isabella Plains,” Nate says.

“When I noticed how these other small shopping centres were getting a local café, I realised people wanted something local and neighbourly rather than a franchise. We saw the potential of the space and leveraging a market trend in partnership with the community centre.

“I didn’t come from a café background, so I knew I would have to learn. The goal was for us to have local customers who have a sense of partnership and ownership in this being their local.”

Owner Nate Swift, right, in action.

Nate presented his idea for the café to the management committee of the Gordon Community Centre, receiving their support to continue exploring the venture.

Another major step for the café’s progression was being accepted into The Mill House Social Enterprise Accelerator Program, which supports the emergence and growth of social ventures.

Nate and his wife Tara also started a crowdfunding campaign, aiming for $17,633 (one dollar for each member of their community). They ended up raising over $20,000, which proved he was onto a good thing.

Local community foundation Hands Across Canberra assisted with the design of the cafe, in partnership with Anglicare and Lanyon Valley Anglican Church.

The cosy space features a sleek dark look with timber accents. The sun-dappled deck, which is perfect for lingering over a coffee, spills out onto an astro turf with a large sandpit, allowing little ones to burn some energy.

“There’s also a play group that runs there as well as other programs, and we’ve had a lot of mums groups come in who are after a good coffee while looking after the kids, so it’s already a very vibrant space,” says Nate.

The café encourages its customers to “pay it forward,” with $1 from each coffee sold going towards The Gordon Community Centre’s Food Pantry, which is run by Anglicare and provides non-perishable food, household and personal essentials, and fresh food for those in need. There’s also the option to donate a coffee via the café’s website.

Along with great coffee, the menu features pastries from Three Mills, toasties (there’s chorizo, pumpkin with pickled onion or the classic ham and cheese) breakfast pots, and the café’s speciality, “lux nuts”—a delicious ricotta and donut ball that continues to sell out quickly.

Since opening three weeks ago, Nate has been blown away by the response.

“There’s just something about having a café at your local shops,” he says.

“The service here will always be friendly, we like to get to know our customers and community. The locals are very excited—the deep south is no longer forgotten.”