2021-01-28

North Sydney’s The Library has barista skills worth shouting about.

Just a short walk from North Sydney station (at a prime location in the heart of the North Sydney community) sits The Library. It boasts barista skills worth shouting about and we caught up with owner, Tommy Arspairin, to see what makes The Library, it’s team and customers tick.

What would you say is your favourite part about working in the coffee industry?

I’ve been a barista for 10 years and my favourite part is that I love my job. When I was growing up I wanted to be a barista, I know so much about coffee and always wanted to learn more about the management side of things, that's why I wanted to start up my café and become the owner. I always want to be learning.

What is The Library’s signature move for welcoming customers?

The customers of The Library are 70% locals so we have known most of them for a while. We always make the effort to get to know customers’ names and we always smile and be happy when our customers arrive. The main thing about our café is customer service. It’s so important.

You have a host of locals who return time and time again, what’s your top tip to keep customers coming back?

For us, it’s all about the quality. Quality coffee, quality food and quality staff, that’s how we keep people coming back.

What is it that makes The Library different from other cafés in the area?

I don't think that I've made it different. I do my job, I do my own style and I try to tell my staff to make it easy, simple, nice and make it a fun experience every time a customer comes in. Fun for us, fun for the customer and fun in our jobs. I aim for our staff to be happy and relaxed which will make the customer happy and relaxed too. At the end of the day, that’s why people stop and come in for a coffee, they need a happy and relaxed atmosphere to go along with it.

And finally, what’s next for you to accomplish?

One of our baristas here is really really amazing, I want to put the time and effort into her training to be able to give her the opportunity to compete in latte art competitions and to generally improve her skills. I think that will be good for The Library, my barista and the customers. As well as that every couple of years I like to shake up the menu and try new things. I like to keep The Library menu at reasonable prices and an easy tap and go system, but I think it is good to do something new now and then with our menu, so that is what is next for us.

If you want to check out what The Library has to offer, head to 240 Miller Street, North Sydney. Or, hit up their Instagram for more info @thelibrary.cafe