Smack-bang in the middle of summer, 2014 — a day Rev Markall says he’ll “never forget” — a young student and his brother took ownership of Gloria Jean’s Broadmeadows Central.

Rev was studying building at the time, but he couldn’t resist the opportunity to run his own local business.

“I bought into this franchise because it was a well-established business that I knew I could take to the next level,” he explains.

Rev did take things to the next level. Eight years later, he still loves his job — in particular, his customers who feel like family to him.  He gets a kick out of supplying customers and fellow retailers with coffee to fuel their days and keep them going.

And in a similar way to how coffee draws people in, Rev says Broadmeadows Central itself is a fantastic community hub that brings together people from a broad range of backgrounds. As Rev points out, the result is that there is “such diversity” in the centre’s retail offering.

Over the long journey of running Gloria Jean’s, one of Rev’s highlights is giving the store a facelift last year. 

“Our previous cafe fit-out was tired and old,” he says. “We renovated our cafe in 2021 and it was a world of difference. The café is much more vibrant and modern now. It’s something I’ll cherish — the transformation of our store.”