All under one Dome
The Note loves a stark contrast and the ability of a brand to overcome it.
We were struck by this image of Australand’s Western Australian general manager Tony Perrin in his finest business clobber with Dome Cafe Group chief Nigel Oakey amid the boats and other trappings at the new Port Coogee development south of Fremantle.
Dome has signed its 59th Australian cafe at the Cockburn Sound marina, with Australand constructing a $3 million building as part of the privilege.
We reckon Dome has come a long way since it stumbled during its ownership transition from its founders to private equity a few years back. Now solidly under the wing of the Wyllie-family controlled Viburnum Funds stable, the Maylands-based hospitality business appears to have put all that in the past.
Not only is it able to mix it with the nouveau riche at Port Coogee but it is also planning to open a new outlet just down the coast, at far more rough and tumble Kwinana, Perth’s industrial hub.
No wonder the Dome website shows a pic of a couple of lads in flouro chowing down on something suitably sized. That said Kwinana to The Note ... or the Qantas frequent flier lounge at Perth Airport.
Not many in the noshery business can cover that kind of ground comfortably. Perhaps that’s a WA story?
Grand marque
Of course, the car business is a bit different. In that business, brands are less likely to try and be all things to all people.
Take Rolls-Royce for instance. Apart from a few farmers in the 1970s, the far-from-humble Roller has been the preserve of an elite, trickling down from royalty to a select few who can afford the marque. Medical specialists of a certain era are called to mind by The Note.
Well, Rolls-Royce is yet another brand to sniff the global atmospheric shifts and decided WA is the place to be, with plans to open a showroom in Perth to parade its finest to the locals ... and, no doubt, some visiting Chinese business leaders.
Funds fun
We don’t like to interfere too much in the political machinations of WA; after all, we know everyone involved has our best interests at heart.
Still we have unconfirmed rumours of several blueblood Liberal-leaning business leaders attending a major fundraiser for federal Labor’s member for Brand, Gary Gray, during the week.
Let’s just hope there wasn’t any boisterous shenanigans, which could end up in the media. Goodness knows, you wouldn’t want to get dragged into a mess like that ... again.
