Relaunch of All-Day Diner in Mentone
The Corner Store will re-open with an eye catching new fit-out and official launch party on 29 June, having opened for business a few days prior. The newly revamped hotspot will bring a breath of fresh bay air into Melbourne’s south-eastern suburb of Mentone, increasingly known for its quality, charm and family living.
Having undergone a major refurbishment, The Corner Store is a modern take on the classic 1950’s-style all day diner. The Corner Store will cater for everyone from early risers, brunchers and lunchers, to afternoon grazers and late night suppers, seven days a week. Open from 7.30am every day, The Corner Store will boast everything from delicious wholesome food to great coffee, cocktails, tap beer, an expansive wine list and an almost as expansive milkshake menu.
Having witnessed the changing face of Mentone, with more families, more city workers and a greater demand for eating out options to suit all schedules, Head Chef Jeremy Duxbury has designed a menu to reflect this.
(Read more on Jeremy and owners Damien Jones and Tim Jones in 2nd section).
“We are one of the only all-day eateries in the area which means you can always get something to graze on no matter what time of day it is. If it’s early it could be anything from the all day breakfast menu, a sandwich through to a steak for lunch or market fish of the day or pasta for dinner. The bar menu is quite extensive as is our milkshake menu, and of course there is great coffee,” says Jeremy.
The all-day grazing menu is a thoughtfully modern take on some of the classics. Highlights include 12 hour Pulled Pork Roll with crackling, Crispy Chicken Taco with tequila compressed watermelon and the Crispy Chicken Kimchi Burger on a black brioche bun.
The Corner Store is open 7 days 7:30am until late.
The Corner Store is located at 1 Swanston Street, Mentone VIC 3194. For bookings call 03 9583 6462 or visit
www.thecornerstore3194.com
Information & Images Courtesy of The Corner Store/Fuller PR
Connie Lambeth – The Australia Times Gourmet – Food/Wine/Events
READ ON FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MENTONE’S ‘THE CORNER STORE’…
There hasn’t been a central meeting place in the suburbs bordering Port Phillip Bay since high-profile namesake, the Mentone Hotel, formerly the Edgewater Hotel and known colloquially as ‘The Edgy’, was sold to property developers in 2014. With its prime location on the corner of Swanston Street and Balcombe Road, The Corner Store is set to become the new local hotspot reflecting the changing face of Mentone and its neighbouring suburbs of Black Rock, Parkdale, Cheltenham and Mordialloc.
As one of Melbourne’s most affordable bayside suburbs on the rise, Mentone has an increasingly attractive, family friendly village lifestyle and a 14% population increase over the past six years (ABS).
With over 40 years of combined pub, bar and restaurant experience in Australia, the U.K. and U.S., former Red Rock Venues Area Business Manager Damien Jones and business partner Tim Jones (no relation) took over the space in 2016. After an eight month long evaluation the pair decided to give the offering a complete overhaul with a new look and feel in line with the changing needs of the area.
“Over the last few years we have noticed a growing opportunity in Melbourne’s seaside suburbs. The demographic in Mentone is generally young families, singles, homeowners and working professionals, with a large percentage working in the city. We identified the need for a space with a great all-day dining experience as well as somewhere to get together for a drink without the need to travel to the city,” says Damien.
The venue has undergone a major refurbishment that Damien says will bring “a little bit of Melbourne city life to the suburbs.” UK-based design company Goff Associates, which has 35 years experience in hotels, restaurant and bars, has taken on The Corner Store as their first project in Australia.
“We’ve played on the traditional corner store concept taking the space back to its bare bones. We have taken the old weigh scale concept, commonly found in lolly stores or fruit and vegetable shops, and built this into the motif. This is complimented by shelving and décor that echoes a traditional corner store,” says Goff Associates Managing Director Dan Goff.
The Goff Associates team have created an intimate experience to cater for all-day diners with a large bar as the centrepiece surrounded by cosy dining spaces.
“We want the space to evoke feelings of comfort and familiarity, as The Corner Store is the centre of the community. Oversized images on the walls pay homage to historic parts of Mentone,” says Dan.
Head Chef Jeremy Duxbury has watched the evolution of the area first hand, having lived and worked locally for the past seven years. After working for the Van Haandel Group at the famed Stokehouse St Kilda, Jeremy was appointed the head chef at The Corner Store when it originally opened in 2011. After establishing the venue as the go to place for Mentone, he moved on to other venues in the local area. Jeremy has recently returned to The Corner Store and is an integral part of the evolution of the venue.