More Drive-Thru, Please!

As printed in My Village News June 2019

This past month I watched with concern as Merlo Coffee’s flagship in Fortitude Valley painted a blue road down its driveway, removing with it key short term car park spaces my caffeine-dependent self has become all too acquainted with – especially during the past 16 months of my little girl’s energetic life.

I quickly discovered that rather than depriving us of a fast caffeine fix, the roasting house is making it easier with its ‘Coffee Concierge’ – that’s New Farm-speak for drive-thru coffee.

Firstly, thank you Dean Merlo for reading my thoughts.

Secondly, can we get a few more local vendors on board with the drive-thru thing?

I’m asking mostly on behalf of parents, particularly those of young children. Like that awkward couple in the shopping centre car park with the newborn, the new capsule, the new pram – and no idea how the three go together. Or the frazzled parents whose baby only sleeps while the car is in motion. Or the parents who just cannot deal with the store door and pram wrestle one more time again today.

This was one of my biggest fantasies in the early months of our baby’s arrival, aside from a decent sleep, a drive-thru butcher, grocer, deli and pharmacy. Oh, and GP. Yes, just give her the latest jab through the window; she’s comfortable here. Oh, mind not to flatten the fresh bread back there.

I do feel however something would go amiss if we all stayed in our cars. We would lose the zest that makes this place we call home sparkle. Our peninsula and its web of suburbs is built on community connections. So while convenience is a welcome retreat from the daily bustle, and I will relish the chance to sip my flat white behind the wheel without the preceding baby pack up, I’ll also go to the store as Mummy Sherpa grateful to be part of a community that is exactly what you choose to make it.