Hitting the road in his $2,000 Toyota Corolla, Jonny Charles had a simple goal to “work and surf” while travelling around Australia.
The 24-year-old was strapped for cash and needed a way to fund his travels
So he built one in the boot of his car.
Turning his Corolla into a tiny coffee shop, Jonny is now selling brews to strangers across the country, using the cash to cover his day-to-day costs on the road.
Speaking to Yahoo News this week, Jonny said the idea for Cafe Corolla came from his love of coffee and desire to meet new people while on the road.
But the ultimate goal is to fund his year-long lap of Australia with his mate, and they’re just two months in.
“It’s purely just to help me get by and pay for my next load of fuel,” he said. “Right now, I’m comfortable if it’s just paying off the day to day”.
He didn’t share exactly how much he’s made so far, but it’s “enough to get by,” he said,
His earnings have so far covered the cost of petrol and food daily.
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The Victorian spent $4,000 to set up Cafe Corolla, which included a big outlay for a commercial coffee machine. Source Jonny Charles
Before leaving his hometown of Inverlock, Victoria in February, Jonny sourced a commercial coffee machine.
With his engineering degree, he was able to build a fitout in his car using secondhand materials from his shed. The set-up cost an eye-watering $4,000, including $2,500 for a machine.
“That’s more than my car,” he said.
He’s not yet made back the money he spent on the set-up, but he hopes one day he will.
Plans to take Cafe Corolla to the Top End
Jonny has so far travelled up the east coast of Australia, with plans to hit up Darwin in the Northern Territory.
“It’s probably my favourite place in Australia. But it’s pretty remote,” he said. “I might not get many [coffee] sales,” he laughed.
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The novice barista has been sharing his journey on social media, including Instagram and TikTok, updating fellow travellers of his whereabouts.
The issue, he said, is not planning out where he will be stopped. He’s simply winging it. He’s also limited in where he’s allowed to pull up and sell coffee.
Without council approval, public spaces are often prohibited, including parks and beaches. But if given permission to park on private property, he can stop and sell his coffee.
To help spread the word, the savvy traveller has been handing out free coffee to passersby.
For the most part, he just enjoys meeting new people who stop for a chat.
“It’s been awesome. And it’s been really fun,” he said.
“People are pretty generous, and they tend to tip quite nicely”.
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