Homeboy is, almost, here
After going viral on TikTok, Tom Oswald is about to open his CBD cafe, Homeboy, which will bring freshly made sandwiches and homemade cinnamon scrolls to the city.
When we spoke to Homeboy owner Tom Oswald in August he was excited about the news that he was moving to the CBD.
Tom opened Homeboy inside Thiele’s Shop in Harndorf through a short-term arrangement with The PaintBox, and shut up shop in June this year.
After Tom posted a video to TikTok, telling the world he had zero customers on his first day of trade, he went viral. Now, the Homeboy name is synonymous with the business’s social media.
Tom has been documenting every step of the move to the CBD on TikTok and Instagram – even his setbacks.
“I’ll be transparent,” Tom says as we sit inside the Yugo building lounge.
“Helping people is huge – it’s the basis.”
Tom thinks people resonate with his content “because they’ve seen [his business] from the start when it was nothing”.
Tom OswaldOne of his setbacks was the space’s lack of (or non-existent) electrical connection.
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“There weren’t even any power points,” Tom laughs.
“So a huge electrical job, but luckily, I found some really good electrical [people], so they helped me out with that.
“But that was probably the biggest setback… I pretty much posted on my Instagram [saying] ‘who can help? I need some help with my electrical’. And luckily, some amazing people came to help.”
Setbacks aside, Homeboy is nearly here and opening in early December with the help of Renew Adelaide – which activates underutilised properties through offering a rent-free period.
The hole-in-the wall on North Terrace promises a simple food offering and quality homemade cinnamon scrolls.
“I’m going to start simple and have room to grow,” Tom says.
“[There will be] really high-quality bread. I got my bread from Prove Patisserie. Best bread I could find, fresh every morning, fresh ingredients.”
Tom says the four-sandwich menu will include “two toasted options and two fresh”, all made in-house.
“I’ve got Tommy’s Pick, which is prosciutto, rocket, fresh mozzarella and balsamic glaze,” he says.
“Then I’ve got the Italiano, which is soppressata, tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella.”
He says the toasted options are “really simple” and accommodate those “picky eaters”. They include a mortadella and cheddar option as well as a tomato, provolone and basil option.
Homeboy’s famous cinnamon scrolls before they’re cooked in the ovenSubscribe for updates
Tom believes starting simple will also make it easier for his workers, given it’s the first time he’ll be employing staff.
“[In Hahndorf] it was just me,” Tom says. “I’m starting with just two team members, I think that’s all I need – it’s a tiny space.”
Located inside the Yugo building, the space will focus on takeaway through a hole in the wall facing North Terrace.
“I really love the dark timbers – that was going to be the basis. I feel like it was a good contrast with the minimalist setup it already has, with the concrete and everything,” Tom says.
“[There’s] Japanese-style furniture and a bit of Scandinavian design.
“Most of my furniture was literally from Facebook Marketplace and Vanguard Trading down the road.
“They’ve got really good recycled furniture – they find it in these recycling [centres] and they build it into cool stuff that people can buy – really sustainable options.”
Part of the outdoor area at HomeboyThough the location is just outside the mall, Tom’s excited to work with the student accommodation building and attract a different city clientele.
“Obviously, with student accommodation right above, that’s good customers,” he says.
“But just aim to bring an ease of just getting there – you know they can just take a lift down. It’s accessible.
“Hahndorf’s a way different customer base, so it’s a bit different coming here. I don’t really know what to expect.”
Homeboy is located in the Yugo Adelaide building at 266–269 North Terrace, Adelaide is officially opening in early December. It will be open from Tuesday to Saturday from 7am until 3pm.
Connect with the business on Instagram and TikTok for more.