MOUNT Isans have a small taste of the big city with the opening of a new cafe and boutique store.
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Bambino, on Miles Street, opened for business on Monday as a family concept store.
Ji Matthews and his sister Summer McLaughlin decided to venture into the hospitality and retail industries together to ease the learning curve, after moving to the city for a change of scenery last year.
The store is one half coffee shop and one half children and women's clothes boutique, providing the eclectic nature of a city business according to the pair.
"In places like the Gold Coast there are stores like this on every corner so we're trying to bring a bit of that out here and saw some big opportunities in Mount Isa," Mr Matthews said.
"Mothers will be able to come and have a sit down with a nice coffee and have a look through the clothes at the same time."
Mr Matthews said the first day had been hectic and in the future the crew hoped to change the menu and trading hours by demand.
"We want to be able to bring something healthy out here, Mount Isa has such a big gym community and there's hardly any healthy eating options," he said.
"We like the idea of super food meals and smoothies, and eventually we'll be able to determine whether opening early hours or even later in the evening would be something people wanted."
Mr Matthews comes from a chef background on the Gold Coast and his sister Summer has had her child clothes label Two Hoots for two years now.
"The label was always online and in markets and that kind of thing so now we have a store and are branching out a bit," Ms McLaughlin said.
Mr Matthews said down the track once Bambino had taken off he would love to bring a wine and pizza bar to the city for an alternative to Mount Isa's existing pubs and clubs.