When it opened in 2012, Marrickville's Cornersmith cafe was game changing. Its commitment to ethical and sustainable food production, community engagement and food waste — as well as great-tasting brunch fare — was an instant hit with Sydneysiders, inspiring the launch of a picklery and workshop space up the road, a second cafe in Annandale and two cookbooks.
Early last year, the Marrickville cafe underwent a quick renovation, reopening with a liquor licence and dinner service. But, now, it's shutting up shop for good. Owners of the family-run cafe Alex Elliott-Howery and James Grant made the announcement on Instagram this morning, saying "we packed up our pickles and moved out of our Marrickville cafe".
In the post, the duo reflects on how the Cornersmith brand has grown since the launch of the inner west corner store eight years ago, saying "we had no idea Cornersmith would grow into the beautiful beast it has become and we are especially proud that it all started in a tiny corner shop in the middle of Marrickville".
While Elliott-Howery and Grant have said they're looking forward to a "little less stress next year" with one less cafe, they've also revealed that they're "plotting and planning quietly at home and are looking forward to sharing our next plans for Cornersmith with you". And, they've hinted to opening another cafe sometime in the near future, saying they're keeping their "eyes peeled" for a "perfect empty corner shop".
In the meantime, you can still visit the Annandale cafe, pick up a jar of pickles from the Picklery or book into one of Cornersmith's popular workshops, which include cheese making, bread baking and learning to ferment your own kombucha. Or, you can pick up one of the Cornersmith cookbooks — they make great Christmas presents.
Cornersmith's Marrickville cafe is now closed. You can visit the Annandale cafe at 88 View Street, Annandale and the Picklery at 441 Illawarra Road, Marrickville.