Too many bloomin’ ideas

Words: David O’Brien | Images: Shane Grocke of Fleurieu Imagery

Thanks to Coast Lines magazine

Have you ever realised that what you’re meant to do in life has been right in front of you all along?

That’s exactly what happened to Luisa Berry Smith when she found herself on the western Fleurieu coast after life took an unexpected turn five years ago.

“It was the wrong time in history—when COVID hit. I lost my job and spent six months looking for work in Adelaide with no luck. I came down to Normanville for a weekend away, saw the local café was hiring, and thought, ‘Great, I’ll work from here and figure something out.’ Five years later, I’ve moved down permanently and own a business.”

Luisa’s story takes a few loops, so let’s rewind.

“I worked in hospitality after uni in the 2000s while travelling. It was an easy job to pick up—if you're a hospitable person, it’s just about learning a few niche skills and you can go anywhere.”

Then came a big career shift: “I switched to finance for 13 years, climbed the corporate ladder and everything. But eventually I realised corporate life wasn’t for me. I took everything I learned—financial skills, team management—and brought it with me into the café world.”

Fast forward to Normanville, where Luisa took up a local café job. But she wasn’t settled.

“I worked at the café for about a year, then moved on. I just couldn’t find the right fit—worked at Bunnings, Ampol, even tried remote work as a travel consultant. Nothing clicked. Then my absolute favourite café in Normanville went up for sale. It was a tiny 32-seater on the corner next to the bakery. It was called Southbound Diner. I’d never owned a business before but thought, ‘Why not? I’ll give it a go for the length of the lease—three years. If it’s going well, I’ll keep going.’”

It’s clear Luisa is someone who thinks deeply—and acts decisively. When opportunity knocks, she opens the door.

Just over a year into running the newly named Southbound Café, another door opened.

“I had the chance to lease the Old Courthouse—a 163-year-old heritage-listed building. It had been vacant for seven months, and people were wondering what would happen with it. I saw the opportunity to expand and jumped.”

For Luisa, bringing the heritage building back to life was just as important as growing her business.

“It’s a building for the community. It has so much history. Everyone had a connection to it. I wanted to honour that.”

She took over just two weeks before Christmas 2024.

“I’ve probably quadrupled my seating space. I rebranded, renamed, completely restyled the café.”

At the heart of Bloom & Brew Co. is a love for good coffee.

“Coffee brings people in. Once you win them over with great coffee—right beans, right milk—you can turn them into diners.”

Luisa is also deeply committed to local produce.

“I wanted to use mostly South Australian products—food and drinks. We’re on the Fleurieu! We’ve got amazing local suppliers—Fleurieu Milk Company, Patio Coffee Roasters in Adelaide, Eden Valley Farms for olive oil, feta, olives. My fruit and veg come from just up the road in Seaford. And we serve local beer and wine.”

Her dedication has been recognised—Bloom & Brew Co. is now a Brand SA partner.

Upstairs, she’s maximised the space further by creating a co-working hub.

“There are three rooms. One’s a boardroom for meetings or workshops—seats eight, has whiteboards, a TV for video calls. Another has hot desks for affordable hire for an hour or a day. The third is a longer-term space for people working down here, especially in summer.

“We’ve started running workshops—we hosted two pottery classes for the Festival Fleurieu, and a macramé wall hanging session. Live music is starting up. And later this year, when it’s warmer, I’d love to run an open-air cinema night.”

Luisa is full of ideas and she’s not slowing down. If you want to more of her plans—and there are many—head down to Bloom & Brew Co. in Normanville. Chances are, she’s got another idea brewing.