The Daily Rhythm // Clunes Store
- Words by Peppermint
Clunes Store, in the picturesque northern NSW village of Clunes, is a lot more than simply a store – it’s also a boutique cellar, a post office and a thriving cafe that’s become a central meeting point for the local community. We spoke to cafe manager and barista Matt Connolly about his working day, and why people travel from far and wide to visit…
4.45am // I’m up bright and early – there’s definitely no time for morning jogs or early gym sessions before work, that’s for sure! I started working in hospitality as a side job, and four years later I’m still loving it. It’s the social aspect I really like – I love chatting to customers and the crew I get to work with. Plus the cafe is outdoors, and nothing beats being able to do what I do and be out in the fresh air.
5.15-5.20am // I’m generally the first one to arrive. I set up the coffee machine for the day, then make sure everything’s stocked and ready and set the tables for when the kitchen opens. The store itself was founded way back in 1891 and the current owners, Karen and Bryan Dixon, took over in 2010. Throughout both the store and the cafe they try to source products and produce that are local and have a story behind them. A nearby potter – Brooke Clunie from Red Door Studio – makes amazing reusable coffee cups that we sell here, and our cellar is the cellar door for Jilly Wines – a small-batch winemaker founded by Karen and Bryan’s son, Jared. The store also stocks independent natural wines along with local craft beer and cider on tap, so people can come fill up their own bottles.
7-8am // This is when the ‘tradie rush’ hits. The café rarely has a dead moment, and it’s always great seeing the locals come back each morning for their caffeine and breakfast fix! My food philosophy is ‘feed the soul, nourish the body’. We like to change our menu seasonally and offer specials – we’re super lucky to have the store next door, so we can easily use produce from the area in our daily cooking. We use a lot of local suppliers who bring us avocados, pineapples, blueberries, fresh herbs, locally butchered meat and free-range eggs. The store also has a bulk-food section filled with local, organic and spray-free options, meaning we can help people go as waste-free as possible.
8.30-9.30am // The pre- and post-school rush happens around now. It’s a true testament to the venue that the same people come back day in, day out. The general store and café is such a great meeting point for locals that it’s created a big Clunes family! We also have customers come from everywhere – some people drive hours to come visit us. We’re all about fuelling the community however we can – whether that’s serving coffee, giving someone a letter from their loved one (there’s no street postal delivery in Clunes, so coming to us is the only way to get mail!) or hosting events that bring the community together.
10.30am // We try and get our breaks in mid-to late morning, just in time for brunch. Everyone loves a smashed avo so of course that’s a winner, but our halloumi bruschetta is amazing and the ‘classic beggy’ (bacon & egg roll) is an all-day favourite too. Seeing people walk away satisfied with their visit is second-to-none.
1.30pm // The kitchen closes now, but some days we’re still serving customers to 2.30 and beyond. Since opening we’ve had lots of good feedback from the local community – a lot of long-term residents of Clunes have made contact with other villagers through the cafe, and there’s always a business meeting going on or a mum’s group catching up. It really is the central hub for the community. Once I’ve cleaned the coffee machine and restocked all-things coffee for the next day I head off – and being near the beach, nothing beats an after-work surf!
IMAGES OF MATT CONNOLLY BY NATALIE MCCOMAS, ALL OTHER IMAGES BY KELLEY SHEENAN.
BETTER TOGETHER IS A COLLECTION OF PEPPERMINT PARTNERSHIPS WHERE WE TEAM UP WITH BRANDS WE LOVE TO BRING YOU INSPIRATIONAL STORIES. THE DAILY RHYTHM HAS BEEN CREATED AS A COLLABORATION WITH OUR FRIENDS AT ALLPRESS ESPRESSO.
JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
Brighten up your inbox with our not-too-frequent emails featuring Peppermint-related news, events, competitions and more!
explore
More articles
Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
Hang out with us on Instagram
🌻 The Paddington 🌻
This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon – she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. 🌻
We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
Model: MelaninGoddessEfon
“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
#LifeInstyle #SustainableShopping #SustainableShop #RetailTradeEvent
Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
*Not a real number in case that wasn`t clear 😂
#PeppermintWaratahWrapDress #PeppermintPatterns #SewingPattern #WrapDress #WrapDressPattern
8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
