In the tiny town of Uki in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, the postman delivers much more than just letters.
Gary Wall has transformed the 109-year-old post office into a hip gallery and cafe, while continuing to offer the services of a traditional postie.
The concept surfaced in early 2017, after Wall completed an MBA only to discover the corporate cultures he encountered in job interviews failed to inspire him. An advertisement for a post office popped into his inbox. He said to a friend he could just buy a post office and semi-retire at the age of 34’.
He figured he could also turn the space into an art gallery as well as roasting and serving coffee.
Wall employed local tradies to help renovate the building, which was in pretty bad repair.
Cluttered cabinetry was removed to open up space, new shelving and a counter for the coffee machine were installed, and the floorboards were sanded back.
He has also installed a coffee roaster, with plans to diversify the business and employ more locals.
