Ashish Sharma and Manali Purohit poured their life savings into opening 'And Bodega', a vegan cafe in Melbourne. But an arson attack on a nearby shop reduced their dream to ashes. To make matters worse, thieves looted the burnt cafe the very next day. Now, the couple is relying on community support to rebuild their business.
Ashish Sharma and Manali Purohit spent their entire life savings to open their dream cafe in Australia. The Indian-origin couple launched 'And Bodega', a vegan cafe in Fitzroy North, Melbourne. But a suspected arson attack on a neighboring tobacco shop completely destroyed their hard work and left them with massive losses.
A dream turned to ashes in months
The couple opened the cafe in July this year. They spent over five months renovating the space to match their vision. They invested more than 100,000 Australian dollars, which is roughly 95 lakh Indian rupees, from their own pockets. They even bought second-hand furniture and did most of the renovation work themselves to save money.
The arson attack
A massive fire broke out at the adjacent tobacco shop around 3:45 AM on October 12. Investigating officers suspect that attackers broke into the shop and set it on fire. The blaze completely gutted the tobacco shop and severely damaged nearby businesses, including the couple's cafe. Police have not arrested anyone in connection with the incident so far.
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Double blow for the couple
The fire from the tobacco shop melted the cafe's roof. Ashish said that soot and debris covered the walls and all their equipment. The nightmare did not end there. Thieves broke into the ruined cafe the very next day and stole equipment and tech systems worth around 5,000 dollars.
Community comes to the rescue
The insurance company offered a payout of 25,000 dollars, but the couple says this amount will not cover their massive losses. They have now started a fundraiser to pay for repairs, buy new equipment, and clear dues for their staff and suppliers. Locals and neighboring small business owners have stepped up to support the couple. Ashish and Manali now hope to reopen their cafe on a smaller scale with the help of the community.
