“Simply come back”: How are local family-run businesses staying afloat in a world of online reviews and social media?
As a trip to a local cafe, restaurant or bar has dropped down the list of priorities for many, we spoke to those behind the counter about how to capture a steady flow of clientele.
Astrid Jian
November 19, 2025
It’s no secret that sustaining a family business is difficult. In fact, it feels as though both newcomers and longtime community staples are struggling.
🌊Ebb and flow: Long term residents will know Eastern Melbourne has a constantly shifting hospitality scene.
Whether you’ve become a regular customer at one of the newest bars in Box Hill, Ringwood or Croydon or looking for your next favourite barista who gets your order just right, there are always options when it comes to food and drink.
However, for those running these businesses, changing audiences, dwindling budgets and new demands make the job a difficult one to navigate.
To find out more, the Eastern Melburnian caught up with the faces behind the counter at two local hospitality spots to ask about the challenges – and rewards – of running your own business.
🛑(Un)expected challenges: Vikas and Sona Ahlawat opened the doors at TNT Mexican, on Main Street in Croydon, in 2022.
However, Vikas said they did not know that their biggest hurdle would come only a year later, as foot traffic was significantly cut due to the nearby Level Crossing Removal Project works, averaging one to two tables a day on weekdays.
🗣️“The barricade was just in front of our shop,” Vikas told the Eastern Melburnian. “Last year, we lost probably close to $100,000.”
❤️A family feel: Vikas said serving their local community has always been an incredibly rewarding experience.
🗣️“They help us out a lot,” Vikas said. “Even with [the barricade] last year, our local community was still coming.”
Vikas said he and Sona were unsure what was next for TNT Mexican but that business was slowly getting better.
⌚After hours: For Lilydale cafe owners Laura and Evan James, who run Round Bird Food and Wine Merchants, another challenge that comes with the job is having to juggle multiple roles – from social media to bookkeeping.
Lilydale cafe Round Bird first opened their doors in September 2014, with couple Laura and Evan James at the helm.
Evan said the role of running a cafe had become so much more than front-of-house operations over the years.
🗣️“You become the accountant, the book keeper, the website manager, the social media manager, the repair guy, the list goes on,” said Evan.
Evan said stability also remains a concern. “The future looks challenging right now, to be honest,” he said. “As everyone feels the pinch of affordability, hospitality venues are the first hit and the last to recover.”
🛜 More than reviews: Beyond leaving a positive Google review or engaging with the business on social media, venue owners said simply becoming a regular customer was the best way to support them.
🗣️“The vast bulk of those that love what we do never leave a review, they simply come back,” said Evan.
💕A healthy passion: Staying positive and attracting new regular patrons takes hard work, dedication and a genuine commitment to quality. For Round Bird, that has meant continued innovation and constant refinement.
🗣️“Every day we work and we do our level best to provide a quality product and experience, because that is who we are,” said Evan. “Never settle on your laurels, keep the core of what you do the same - but keep an eye out for little changes here and there that make what you do even better.”