Newsagent opens News Cafe on David in Newstead to unite morning routine.

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Mr Gray has spent much of his life working overseas to bring multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects to fruition.

But following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr Gray began looking for something closer to home to set his mind to, eventually settling on the Newstead newsagency.

He quickly began looking at ways to expand the business's offerings.

"I would see people meeting in the newsagent's and catching up and I thought, 'Wouldn't it be good if they had somewhere to get a coffee?'" he said.

With that idea in mind, Mr Gray began renovating the old post office directly next door to the newsagency and he and his team are now preparing to officially open from Monday next week.

Among the menu items on offer at the café are baked goods from Invermay artisan bakery Manubread.

Newspaper prints decorating the ceiling mean patrons wandering in next door to pick up the day's news will feel right at home walking straight through into the café for a coffee or a slice of cake.

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That cake and coffee is set to be served up by manager Amie Murdock and Taleshia Halsall, who said they've already been getting a lot of attention from locals.

"Even people from the newsagent's have been popping their heads in. It already looks like it'll be a popular spot," Ms Halsall said.

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And it's exactly that kind of community engagement Mr Gray wants to bring back to David Street, as well as a little old fashioned charm.

"I lost my parents a couple years ago and I just know they would've loved this place," he said.

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