A year to the day since owners Kate Bullock and Dan Yassin defied the sceptics to open the Hideout Cafe, business is booming.

They say while other retailers are feeling the pinch of shopping strip rents, consumers tightening their belts and the impact of online trading, they are seeing more people taking advantage of the back street cafe.

“It was risky opening a new cafe in a hidden street,” Ms Bullock said.

“Friends and advisers who saw the vacant property were convinced it would fail.

“But we saw an opportunity, and with the right strategy we knew it could work.”

Chef Dan Yassin says they turnover about 200 customers a day at the Waratah Way cafe.

He says it is proof business can boom outside of the costly shopping centre precinct.

“We have the steady flow of customers — the early morning coffee and papers brigade from the neighbourhood, mums after dropping the kids at school and lunchtime trade,” he said.

“Of course as a food business we are not affected by online retailing but other food businesses make no secret of the fact that shopping centre rents are huge and people are spending less.

“But here we can give people the time of day, a little old-fashioned service.”