Awesome Wales Cafe Barry closes, but owners still have Eto

Awesome Wales on Holton Road chose not to renew their lease as they approached the end of their initial five year term and so, one of the coolest cafes in town, is yet another hole in the high street.

However, it’s not all bad news. Owners Stuart Burnell and Amy Greenfield are still very much active at store Eto, still on Holton, just up the road from where Awesome was, and they are not going anywhere – in fact they have exciting new ventures in the community (to be continued…)

But this is about Awesome Wales, the café and zero waste store that became a little social hub in Barry.

Not only did Awesome Wales do awesome coffee, they hosted craft groups and social events such ‘eco mums’ meeting for a catch-up.

Ms Greenfield explained the concept behind the café and what her and Mr Burnell were trying to achieve when they opened it in 2019.

“There was so much support for it when it opened,” said Ms Greenfield.

“Awesome Wales responded to different needs in the community. The community café grew through it. We had eco mums here and craft groups.”

Awesome Wales café and zero waste store on Holton Road (Image: Google Maps)

Part of the idea behind Awesome was it offered zero waste shopping, so the store was full of dispensers and refills for your food goods.

Ms Greenfield explained that despite ‘trends’ there is something more fundamental behind this form of shopping.

“The perception is this type of shopping is middle class,” said Ms Greenfield, “but we were trying to do it at an affordable rate.”

Amy Greenfield and Stuart Burnell opened Awesome Wales with the aim of providing affordable, environmentally friendly food (Image: Supplied)

Awesome Wales might be gone, but, from the seed spawned a tree. In this case that tree is called ‘Eto Preloved Kids Store’.

Eto provides children’s clothing and accessories for affordable prices.

“If it wasn’t for Awesome we wouldn't have Eto,” said Ms Greenfield. “Kids’ clothing started as one railing in Awesome, but people were donating so much we did not have the space, while on the other side of it, people were coming in really needing this stuff.”

So Eto was born. And it also houses charity Baby Basics which provides expectant mums with hampers containing everything they need when their baby is born.

Ms Greenfield and Mr Burnell in Eto - which IS open (Image: Newsquest)

Match made in heaven. Eto's Stuart Burnell and Baby Basics Pauline Byrne (Image: Newsquest)

“Some people say to us Barry wasn’t ready for Awesome Wales, but I think the town needed it,” added Ms Greenfield.

“From my perspective, Holton Road is a treasure trove for people wanting to shop ethically and environmentally.”

Here, here.

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