Marcus Allison, Owner, Bunker, Milton
Sunscreen, a frisbee and dirty feet ...
An old 1940s war bunker perched on Railway Terrace in Milton is now a refuge of a different kind – providing comfort for the coffee and hot-chocolate obsessed denizens of the neighbourhood. The ivy-laced hole-in-the-wall sprung to life in 2010, when its owner Marcus Allison spied the disused space and envisioned a new life for its history-laden walls. Made famous at the Kelvin Grove markets with its creative hot chocolates, Bunker serves up a seriously delicious hot chocolate using organic fairtrade chocolate in various concoctions (including a mind-blowing lime and seasalt combination), as well as perfectly brewed cups of 5 Senses coffee. The Weekend Edition caught up with Marcus to chat about his idea of a perfect weekend …
How do you like to start your weekend?
A sleep in, followed by a plunger and avocado toast.
What’s your favourite thing to do on a Saturday morning?
Sit on the balcony with my feet up on the table and eat and drink slowly.
How do you like to unwind?
A beer at the Scratch Bar with my partner has become a regular method…
What are your essentials for a well-spent weekend?
Sunscreen, a frisbee and dirty feet.
What’s something you’ve been meaning to do on the weekend but haven’t got around to yet?
I would really like to start exploring the Brisbane river system by kayak, but I need a kayak first …
What’s your favourite thing to do on a Sunday evening?
Watch a movie with dinner and a wine.
What are you looking forward to this weekend?
Opening at Bunker for our second-ever Saturday!
What are you reading at the moment?
Steve Jobs’ official biography and Black Gold by Antony Wild.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired all the time by many different people and things. It’s difficult to pigeonhole who and what, but good intentions, high quality and a positive attitude have a lot to do with it.
What was your childhood dream?
To play soccer for Australia and be an astronaut, of course … I can probably scratch off the soccer dream, but I still plan to make it into to space.
What has been your greatest achievement?
My three and a half years owning and running my stall at the Kelvin Grove markets. I sold it three weeks ago and have since fully realised the amazing community we had built around us over that time. It was the right time for me to move on, but I will remember it as an incredible part of my life.
What is success to you?
A positive resolution to an endeavour.
What are your words of wisdom?
The journey is much better shared with good friends, family and community.
Only a local would know that … Railway Terrace will be closed intermittently at the Park Road end over the next two months so that council can install backflow protection on the drains.
FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … Cup Coffee in West End.
Relax … Burleigh Creek.
Dine … Halims Indian in Rosalie.
Indulge … a massage at Black Dove in West End.
Shop … The Village Markets, Kelvin Grove.
Catch-up … my house or the park.
Be inspired … the beach or the bush.
