From milk bar to Byron Bay icon: Bayleaf is for sale

Now standing across three prime shop fronts just a five-minute walk from Main Beach, the cafe has grown beyond Readman and Muling’s original dream. Merging their ownership with partner Jesse Hamilton was an important move to systemise the iconic brand in readiness for the next growth spurt.

Full steam ahead

Every year, Bayleaf seats 150,000 patrons and serves up a whopping 200,000 eggs, so it’s fair to say the business breaks big ground — as do development plans for Byron Bay itself.

The coastal town’s essence as a tourist destination is evolving. As seasonal visitation swells into long-term tenure, the massive annual flock of 2 million tourists are joined by a new permanent population (who love good coffee).

As such, Byron Bay is entering its largest development phase yet, beckoning a new era of boutique hotels and designer apartments which will pave the way forward for a flourishing town centre — where Bayleaf is perched in prime Jonson-Street position with a strong 15-year lease.

Seating up to 110 patrons alongside a takeaway and retail offering, Bayleaf has plenty of scope for future growth opportunities, recently adding a liquor license and potential for night pop up events.

A new chapter

For current owners Readman, Muling and Hamilton, success has never been capped. “Bayleaf just keeps getting better and better, proving its robust formula,” says Readman.

To achieve year on year growth for over a decade is a remarkable feat for any hospitality business, especially throughout COVID-19, the trio notes. And although they prepare to close out their own chapter, the story is far from over — as Bayleaf hits the public market, it’s just the beginning.

“We would love to see Bayleaf go afar, it’s really got the guts to go further into new locations and it’s also time for us to move on in a new direction,” says Readman.

“This is a professional operation that’s fully systemised, we have worked hard to make it so. The back end is seamless, it’s a plug-and-play business — you walk in and everything is functioning from the management down to the day’s playlist.”

On any given day, passers-by will find Bayleaf bustling with a vibrant and diverse crowd of loyal customers. For the current owners, this speaks to the success of Bayleaf as a “dream” hospitality venue: formulated, systemised and in an enviable lifestyle location.

“The cafe culture is so cemented in the business,” Readman adds. “The result? Incredible staff retention rates that are rarely seen in this industry. Our approach was to bolster this business for decades and we truly believe we have accomplished our goal.”

The hunt for the next operational guru. Could it be you?

Bayleaf hit the market for sale this Easter with Byron Bailey. To learn more about this exciting opportunity reach out to [email protected]