New coffee house takes over former Franco's Italian Restaurant site

George Street business Frankie's Coffee House will open in the once-home of the beloved Franco's Italian Restaurant in early September with its "chic, welcoming atmosphere".

The store is the latest business venture from Exeter's Cabin Coffee and Roam takeaway coffee bar owners Chris Bamber and Lara Ashworth.

The couple purchased the property a year ago with plans to run a restaurant out of the space after the previous owner, Francesco Macri, closed and sold his iconic Italian eatery which operated for 42 years.

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Mrs Ashworth said when designing the style for Frankie's, they wanted to "nod towards that Italian heritage".

"It was a bit of an institution in Launceston," Mrs Ashworth said.

"And as much as we would love to run a full-blown Italian restaurant, we've never done that before - but what we can do is what we know and what we love: coffee."

Over a short, three week turnaround Mrs Ashworth has worked on reinventing part of the large, art deco style buildings interior, however, construction work began preliminary renovations a year ago.

Frankie's Coffee House occupies the bottom right quarter of the original Franco's building, which will soon lease out offices for its upstairs with another ground-floor shop front expected to lease the remainder.

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"What I've tried to create is something a little bit younger, funkier, even though it has that old school vintage, retro feel," Mrs Ashworth said.

"I wanted something a bit different and a bit unexpected."

The legacy of Mr Macri's four decade-long tenure owning 42 George Street is being kept alive through design, both interior and exterior, which is inspired by mid-century decor and Italian coffee bars.

The building's iconic George Street facade - Frankie's light sign, burgundy window awnings and art deco tower featuring the colours of the Italian flag - will remain the same.

As well, a large-scale metal plate inscribed with "Franco's" has taken pride of place to the left of the cafe's entrance above what Mrs Ashworth calls the "wall of retro, op-shop mugs" - another contributor to Frankie's homely feel.

Mrs Ashworth said customers will be able to select their favourite mug for their coffee orders, although there will be takeaway and other styles available.

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In terms of food and drink, the Coffee House is planning to continue its Mediterranean homage with breakfast pizzas and "high-tier" caffeinated beverages, with Hobart roasters Villino supplying coffee beans.

"Sort of single-size pizzas with a mix of sweet and savoury flavours," Mrs Ashworth said.

"Something like a Nutella pizza or a classic margarita with a fried egg on top, or other desserts with tiramisu and mascarpone espresso.

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"If things go well, we have plans to get a [liquor] licence and have things like espresso martinis, too."

Mrs Ashworth said that she and Mr Bamber were extremely excited to be opening Frankie's Coffee House around the first week of September.

"It's been a year in the making," she said.

"I can't wait to have people come here and feel like they're on the Amalfi coast channelling a European summer sipping limoncello spritz in the sun."

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