AFTER several months on the market, local cafe the Copper Kettle has now changed hands, with 22-year-old entrepreneur Rachel D'aquino purchasing the business this week.
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It marks the end of former owners' Roslyn and Frank Bresnik's four and a half years at the helm of the popular local eatery, and Ros Bresnik will work her last day in the cafe next Wednesday, just prior to the cafe's Christmas shut down period.
The cafe's signature copper kettles will soon be taken down to make way for a fresh new look, new name and new menu courtesy of the health-conscious approach of its new owner.
Jerrabomberra local Ms D'aquino said she'd already chosen a new name for the cafe, Devine Cafe and Salad Bar, and will look to introduce a new menu next year with a focus on fresh salads, juices, smoothies, wraps and more.
Ms D'aquino is a former boot camp owner/instructor, and said she was looking for a way to transfer her love of health and fitness into a hospitality setting.
"I really liked doing boot camp, so I was thinking about how I could incorporate being healthy and creative in the kitchen and still working for myself. So I thought 'I'll open a cafe', she said.
"But I thought that was outrageous as well. Then I thought more about it, and I thought: I still live at home, don't have a mortgage, don't have kids- why not?"
Former owner Ros Bresnik said she'd be sad to say goodbye to her regular customers, but with husband Frank now the co-owner/manager of Googong's Yellow Belly Cafe, she said the time was right to move on.
"Frank has moved on again, and I suppose I'm just a bit tired and ready for something new," Mrs Bresnik said.
She said she was feeling a mix of emotions about saying goodbye to the cafe.
"I'm happy to sell it, but I am going to miss the contact of all the people and catching up with all the news in Queanbeyan. Funnily enough, you do make good friends out of it.
"There's a diverse range of people who come through this cafe. You get the politicians, through to your workers and so on. It's an interesting mix."
Meanwhile, Mrs Bresnik said she was looking forward to spending time with her children and grandchildren of Christmas, and would be looking for a new challenge in the New Year.
"I don't know what I'll do yet. I'll pursue one of my ideas. It won't be hospitality ... I'll consider it after Christmas and take a bit of time to think about my next idea," she said.
