Behind the Counter: Elise at Te Awamutu

She’s usually the first through the door at 6am setting up the cabinets, making the store look pretty, and getting the coffee machine humming before the regulars arrive, many of them on their way to Hamilton. Calm under pressure, always smiling, and according to the team a little protective of her “third child” (The coffee machine).

We sat down with Elise, manager of Volare Te Awamutu, for a chat about mornings, mochas, and what makes this small-town store tick.

What’s the vibe here?

Very community-driven. It’s got a familiar, homey, cozy feel. We see the same faces on a regular basis, we know their names and they know ours. People like seeing familiar faces. It’s consistent, it looks nice every day, and the coffee is always good.

Who’s coming through the door most days?

A real mix. Lots of regulars and local business people for morning coffee or lunch. Tradies. Families on the weekends. High schoolers on their way to school. People travelling through to the lower parts of the North Island. It seems like a cute, dainty little store from the outside, but it’s actually for everybody, young, old, everyone. Super diverse.

Favourite part of the day?

Definitely the morning. I love coming in when it’s still calm and quiet, setting everything up and making the store look pretty. Then as soon as we open the doors the regulars start arriving, a lot of them are heading to Hamilton and stop in for their coffee. That first part of the day is my favourite.

Go-to order right now?

A mocha… we’re definitely a mocha store, we go through a lot of chocolate sauce. Food-wise I love the Hazelnut Pain Au Chocolat. And when I’m not working I go for a Spiced-fruit English Muffin, toasted with loads of peanut butter.

How would you describe the team?

We’re very cohesive and supportive of each other. We each get on with our own jobs but we also have each other’s backs. I like to keep things light, a bit of joking around helps make the day work and keeps the atmosphere nice. Customers can tell when the team is in a good space.

Something people would not know happens behind the counter?

We’re the smallest team compared to the other stores, with three core people and two of us running the day. We do everything from start to finish: set-up, the whole day, then pack-down and close. Because we’re a bit removed from the other stores we just have to make do with what we’ve got. Some days you’re so busy you just keep going and eat when you can.

People also wouldn’t necessarily know I’ve been with Volare for about ten years. I started at the old Main Bakery, left to have my kids, came back through the markets and Cambridge, and then moved into Te Awamutu when we moved here as a family. It’s followed me around a bit, and this store is the one that finally lined everything up.

What makes the Te Awamutu special to you?

The sense of community and the familiarity. I love the old small-town country vibes and the pace of the place. Even though the store gets really busy, the town itself has a nice slower rhythm and people still look out for each other. I like bringing up my family here, my two kids go to Te Awamutu Primary and finishing at 2pm means I can pick them up after school. It just fits.

Any little rituals or inside jokes?

I was stumped when this one came up, so I asked the team. One of the girls said Elise has a third child… which is the coffee machine. It stuck immediately.

I really enjoy making the coffees, and I’m a bit protective of it. If I’m on shift I’ll usually just take the machine. It’s partly because I like the rhythm of it, and partly because I want people getting the same cup every time they walk in. Consistency matters here, same faces, same names, same coffee.

When I’m training someone I’ll step back, but day to day I like being the one behind it. The team think it’s funny how attached I am. Fair enough. She’s my third child, and she gets looked after.