Molasses is back – but not as we once knew it.
The new Molasses is a much smaller, sidewalk-style version of its namesake, which was one of the first cafes to spring up around town in the nineties.
Yes it’s a nod to the past, agrees owner Conor McCabe who was just a wee lad growing up out at Whale Bay with sister Molly, when their parents Patti and Phil took a punt and opened Molasses Kitchen in 1995.
“I wanted to bring back some old-school Raglan,” the now grown-up Conor told the Chronicle recently of his new venture. And “to give a sense of heritage and community,” he added.
Conor describes his new business as essentially a “re-vibing” of his parents’ venture back in the day.
Molasses started out three decades ago as a cosy cafe in what is now the bookshop on Bow St. It led you out back into a sunny, sheltered courtyard bordered by the childcare playground on one side of the fence and the old pub on the other – perfect for a quiet coffee or a chat with friends.
Patti and Phil’s business later swapped to the other side of Bow St – where Wyld is now – taking over the town’s large open-beamed bookshop space. The bookshop, in turn, relocated almost directly opposite to become the more compact, jam-packed Book & Gift Centre it is today.
Conor proudly opened early last month his new Molasses, which is tucked in the lane behind Wyld – ironically just a stone’s throw from the last Molasses. Business has been good, he says, the July school holidays ensuring steady foot traffic along Volcom Lane with its boutique stores and small eateries.
Fresh out of his first business Sidekick, a shed in the yard of INDI cafe, the 33 year old says he’s loving the new space, serving up Asian-inspired soups like curry laksa and murtabak – a roti pocket filled with chicken or veg.
And there’s a table or two on the veranda for those who want to linger a while.
Having taken over the Bad Brother sandwich bar work space, he had a bit of re-jigging to do including the addition of a new wall behind the rangehood and some fancy lighting. Apart from that, Conor’s spent 100-odd hours on a collage which adorns the counter wall – a project close to his heart using pictures from a collection of art, design and photograph books.
It’s been quite a labour of love, he admits, getting ready for Molasses to re-open in a modest new guise. But it’s also “very exciting” to contemplate where the new business will take him in his hometown.
by Edith Symes
