Meet Willing Coffee’s new West Parade flagship
For the past few months, we’ve been keeping an eye on a distinctive building emerging in Mount Lawley.
It should come as no surprise that the newly-completed West Parade apartments have been inspired by New York’s Flatiron Building – although here it’s been reinterpreted through a more local lens by Klopper & Davis Architects, its pointy form softened by the soft curves of the balconies that stack upwards into the sky.
“We’ve always believed that great buildings should contribute to the life of the neighbourhood, not simply occupy it,” Tim tells us, describing the café as an extension of home for the upstairs residents, as well as a welcoming hub for the surrounding community.
“Hospitality allows us to create places where residents and the wider community naturally come together. As owner-operators, we also stay invested in these places. We’re not simply handing over a completed building and moving on. We’re creating destinations that continue to evolve and add life to the communities we’ve helped create and nurture.”
Willing’s first foray into coffee came with their Guildford Terrace House development, and the first outpost of their namesake café – which was followed shortly thereafter by a second café at their Clifton & Central development in Mount Lawley. Since then, that second café has transformed into Bar Vino, with a more robust focus on food and wine offerings into the evening alongside morning coffee offerings.
Here, coffee is the focus.
“While Bar Vino is centred around beautiful food and exceptional wine, and our Guildford coffee shop introduced the Willing Coffee brand, this venue is entirely dedicated to the craft of coffee itself.”
Most notably, a Reserve Cellar menu offers a curated selection of beans from around the world – roasted and brewed to order, with remaining beans sent home with you to enjoy as their flavours continue to develop. Pour overs are joined by a “Split” menu, with three espresso options available to be served both as a shot and with Willing’s house-made freeze distilled milk.
“Our roast to order offering allows customers to select their preferred beans and have them roasted and brewed in front of them. Beans are sourced from an ever evolving selection of international roasters, all slow brewed to order, leaving the customer no choice but to truly slow down, and really take it all in.”
“This coffee shop asks that you appreciate the beauty of both the place and the moment.”
Coffee aside, it’s easy to appreciate both the place and the moment here – with its soaring ceilings and arched windows, and lush, timber-filled fit out by Mata Design Studio (the same studio behind sister venue Bar Vino). It’s not a world away from the chic Italian vibes of Bar Vino and Willing Coffee Guildford – but with a dose of red brick and industrial steel that feels appropriately suburban and Perth.
(A couple of concrete lions flanking the front door wouldn’t go entirely astray, if you ask us!)
“Every project begins with its neighbourhood, its history and the people who will ultimately use the space. We work with incredibly talented collaborators who share that philosophy. The concept generally starts with a place I have visited. I am inspired to capture a feeling, rather than a trend.”
“We aim to create places that feel carefully crafted rather than simply designed. I want people who appreciate architecture and interiors to be enchanted by the details, but equally I want someone who simply loves coffee or enjoys conversation to feel completely at home.”
So, what makes a property developer want to dive into the world of coffee in the first place?
“It really started with a personal passion. As an early morning cyclist, coffee is part of my daily routine, but what fascinated me wasn’t just the coffee itself – it was what happened around it.”
“I fell in love with the family-run cafés throughout Italy, where the coffee shop is the heart of the town. It’s where people gather, conversations begin and chance encounters can occur.”
“Every morning feels like the staging of a play, it’s the same place with the customers setting the scene. You might simply exchange a hello, or you might meet someone who changes the course of your day, or even your life.”
“Coffee is one of those rare things that’s accessible to almost everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, what age or background, everyone is welcome. I love that youthful energy of coffee, whilst it’s deeply anchored in history, the evolution is a story that is based on the timeless human desire for stimulation and connection.”
Of course, man cannot survive on coffee alone – and here, Willing offers a tidy selection of snacks to complement. Baked treats include options like tarts, slices, banana bread and house-baked croissants, as well as dainty madeleines. On the savoury front, ham cheese and tomato focaccias are toasted to order.
As well as distilling all the lessons they’ve learned with their Guildford and Bar Vino locations, Willing’s West Parade outpost marks the next phase of the Willing hospitality evolution.
“We see this phase of Willing Coffee maturing both the process and offering,” explains Tim.
“Our desire is to create places where people come simply because they enjoy coffee and conversation, who may also be surprised by the level of care, craft and curation behind the experience.”
This next phase has also brought Steve Scaffidi into the mix as Willing’s Hospitality Director. A familiar hospitality face previously at the State Buildings, Steve is now guiding the group’s venues with a steady, experienced hand – an appointment Tim says is “an important milestone demonstrating the scope of our ambition”.
“Those who know Steve will understand our commitment to both excellence and longevity in our hospitality projects.”
With this new flagship now open and more developments set for completion over the coming years, Willing’s hospitality offering is maturing from passion project espresso bar to fully-fledged hospitality group.
“Each future venue will have its own unique personality, with two more projects under construction for completion through 2027 and 2028,” explains Tim.
“At The Coolbinia we are excited to introduce a South-Eastern French inspired all-day bistro, elevating the everyday come evening.”
“139 Lake Street in Perth will present an inner-city urban coffee shop that evolves into a small parkside bar come evening. What connects them all is a shared commitment to beautiful design, genuine hospitality and an appreciation for doing simple things exceptionally well.”
“I’m endlessly curious about creation and the feeling you get when you recognise genuine care and craftsmanship. Whether it’s a beautifully made building, a thoughtfully designed café, a flower or a piece of furniture, I think we’re naturally drawn to beauty because we recognise the effort behind it.”
“I believe that beauty has the ability to elevate everyday life. We all recognise it, we all value it, and I think everyone deserves to experience it in the ordinary moments of every day.”
Willing Coffee is located at 141 West Parade, Mount Lawley.
