Signs of life at lunchtime

Kasey Pham says customers are starting to return to Peddler Tuckshop in Noble Park. 207585_13 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

There are signs of a lunch-led recovery in Noble Park’s retail district.

While many shop doors are closed due to Covid-19 restrictions, Peddler Tuckshop is starting to draw lines of customers.

In the early stages, the area was deserted. With a flattening curve of new coronavirus cases, people are again venturing out to grab a takeaway bite or coffee.

“We’ve still got quite a bit of support in the community,” a “positive” Peddler manager Kasey Pham said.

“In the past week, it’s picked up. In the beginning people were a bit scared but we decided to stay open for our community.”

Regular customers returned, and new ones now working from home are escaping for a taste of the Peddler menu.

Open for lunch and breakfast, Peddler’s banh mi baguettes such as crispy chicken, crackling pork and lemongrass beef laced with chillies, coriander and other herbs are doing a roaring trade.

Due to public health rules, only two customers a time can enter the cafe.

Ms Pham is impressed at how people are politely keeping distance at the shop and patiently waiting in queue outside.

“The whole world is adjusting. People are getting their heads around the new regulations about they can and can’t do.”