Images supplied | Credit: Tom Lane
While on maternity leave, two local mums started dreaming up a way to give back to their community without sacrificing time with their little ones. The answer was joining forces and starting their own business. This came in the form of a bright new Coffee & Açaí offering located at Lot 91 Old Port Wakefield Road, Virginia.
Now pouring coffee and blending colourful bowls, Lumo Coffee & Açaí is the brainchild of Shelby and Ipek, two qualified teachers who saw a gap in Adelaide’s northern suburbs for fresh açaí, quality coffee and most importantly, a family-friendly space for the community to gather.
“We used to travel to places like Grange and Henley Beach just to get açaí because the kids were obsessed,” Ipek said. “Virginia is a growing suburb, with a lot of families moving in, and we felt it would be a well-awaited addition.”
The pair, who coincidentally met because both of their partners already owned a business together, began brainstorming what they would love to see in their own community. The result is a permanent coffee and açaí trailer setup with a festival-like feel, complete with astroturf, bench seating and plans for rope lighting and fenced-off areas for events involving little ones.
Both currently on maternity leave, Shelby and Ipek are juggling newborn life with business ownership. Having young families, they say flexibility was a driving force behind launching Lumo.
“We’re both qualified teachers, and we’re both on maternity leave,” Shelby said. “So we were looking for an avenue that allows us to be at home with our children before returning back to school as teachers.”
Community connection is central to the vision. Lumo has already launched “Little Sips, Little Steps”, a weekly Tuesday catch-up for parents, caregivers and children under five. The initiative has quickly resonated in an area where playgroup options have been limited since COVID, offering discounted coffee, iced drinks and açaí bowls while little ones socialise.
The menu leans into both indulgence and freshness, with six signature açaí bowls leading the charge. The OG Lumo is the house hero, layered with crunchy granola, strawberries, banana, blueberries, coconut flakes, honey and hemp seeds. For those chasing something more decadent, there’s Hazelnut Hype with Nutella and Oreo crumb, Pistachio Perfection with pistachio drizzle and white choc chips, PB Power with peanut butter and crushed nuts, Biscoff Bliss, and the popular Bueno Burst topped with rich Bueno drizzle and chocolate pieces. Bowls are available in small, regular and large, and customers can also build their own with a wide range of fruits, toppings and sauces.
On the drinks side, Lumo pours classic coffees including cappuccinos, flat whites and long blacks, alongside iced lattes, mochas and chai. Ceremonial-grade matcha is another standout, served straight or in flavours like strawberry, mango, coconut and even layered with açaí. Milk alternatives and flavoured syrups round out the offering.
Lumo sources its beans from Barossa-based family roaster Bean Addiction and uses Amazon Power as its açaí supplier.
Looking ahead, the duo hopes to host Friday night markets, inviting local stallholders and live music to transform the space into a lively festival-style hub for the wider Virginia community.
To celebrate the launch, Lumo is running an Instagram competition offering customers the chance to win free açaí for a year.
Lumo Coffee & Açaí
Where: Lot 91 Old Port Wakefield Rd, Virginia
When: Open seven days
For more info, click here.
