It was only in 2008 that Peter Frangoulis opened the original Dukes Coffee Roasters in Chapel Street, Windsor. In 2013 two more cafes followed: Dukes at Ross House in Flinders Lane, and Story Coffee & Foodstore in Docklands.
Sitting in the ground level of the NAB building development at 700 Bourke Street, Story Coffee & Foodstore serves as the corporate cousin to the Dukes label, catering to the neglected office workers and apartment dwellers who inhabit the CBD outpost. Unlike the flagship Dukes cafe, the focus at Story is on takeaway coffees and ‘grab and go’ meals, which include traditional panini, toasties, muesli and salads, as well as a more adventurous honey-candied bacon roll (it’s been a best-seller so far).
Two coffee machines stand at the helm (one for black coffee and one for white), working with a considered selection of single origin beans and blends (including the classic Dukes Espresso and Ross House blends).
Although seating is limited, the purpose-designed space provides office escapees with a momentary place to recharge. With smooth wooden panels, soft lighting and tailored detail signal Dukes’ signature stamp, with designer Chris Connell achieving a warmth that contrasts nicely with the concrete chaos and metallic sheen of the surrounding buildings.
