Ro’s Bodega: A Story of Food, Community & Coming Home
There are plenty of reasons people have traditionally chosen Burnie as a place to live, visit or holiday: port access, abundant water views, a thriving creative arts community, and (somewhat randomly) a 12-hectare rhododendron garden. As of this week, though, Tassie’s fourth-largest city just added another feather to its proverbial cap of appeal, with the opening of Ro’s Bodega - an eatery/coffee shop/convenience store hybrid that brings big smoke cool to Burnie, without sacrificing any of the north-west region charm of its roots.
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Ro’s Bodega co-founder Calli Schumann (image: Taylor Paige)
Calli Schumann is a natural storyteller. The north-west Tasmania-born creative has spent the last several years speaking the language of other brands through her work as a consultant across communications, public relations and marketing. Now, it’s her turn to tell her own story, as the co-founder of Ro’s Bodega: her love song to the spirit of community and the simple act of coming together over good food and coffee.
“Ro’s is an opportunity to take everything I’ve learnt creating for other brands, and invest that energy into something of my own,” Calli says. “It’s the kind of place that I personally wanted to exist here - where people naturally cross paths, catch up and feel comfortable coming to again and again.”
Like any good storyteller, Calli has drawn on her own travels and experiences to shape Ro’s menu. Influenced by the places she’s been and the food she’s loved along the way, it moves between Japanese-style sandos and katsu, New York-inspired bagels and deli sandwiches, Italian flavours, and classic LA breakfast favourites like The Los Burrito filled with egg, potato, maple bacon, cheese, chorizo and avocado.
Similarly, the beverage offering is a reflection of the tried and true, alongside what’s trending right now, with coffee from Melbourne roasters Inglewood at the forefront, and a selection of quality matcha, smoothies, and wellness-focused drinks rounding out the rotation.
“The menu is fun, familiar and recognisable, but always with our own take on things,” Calli says. “Our focus is on a thoughtful collection of things done really well, using great ingredients to create a food and beverage offering that feels interesting, while still being approachable enough for every day.”
Ro’s Bodega’s The French Toast (image: Instagram)
Surrounded by shelves stocked with pantry staples, snacks, drinks, and a curation of brand-aligned products from around the world, guests are invited to take a piece of the Ro’s experience home with them, too. Think Japanese Pocky sticks, Dr Pepper-flavoured Tic Tacs, and a hot sauce collab between Mat’s Hot Shop and cult soda makers Mischief Brew.
Though it’s housed within the new Burnie Health Hub, there’s nothing clinical about the Ro’s aesthetic. Warm-toned timber contrasts with stainless steel, polished concrete, deep brown tones, and the odd pop of colour. The result is connected, tactile and immersive - precisely what Calli set out to create.
“From the furniture, finishes and signage right down to the packaging, coffee cups and products on the shelves, there’s intention behind everything,” she says. “I love the contrast of something that feels beautifully designed, but is ultimately there to be touched, used and lived in every day.”
And, while the space might look right at home in one of the country’s bigger cities, Calli’s vision for Ro’s has never been about transplanting time-worn concepts from across the Strait, but rather about creating something specifically for the Tasmanian community. Having grown up in a tiny country town just 20 minutes inland of Burnie, and returning to the region after a stint in Melbourne, it was important to her that Ro’s become part of the fabric of north west Tasmania.
“I don’t think we should have to travel elsewhere in Australia to experience interesting spaces and concepts,” she says. “Tasmania’s north west coast has plenty of creative people, amazing producers and a community that wants and supports new ideas right here, so there’s so much opportunity to build, shape, and create Ro’s right here.”
Ro’s Bodega (image: Taylor Paige)
But for all of her own effort, Calli is clear that Ro’s has not been a solo project. The culmination of many years of conceptualisation, it has relied heavily on the backing of friends and family, and - more recently - expert local trade and suppliers. Ultimately, Calli recognises the Ro’s team as the most important element when it comes to bringing her vision to life - passionate locals who make the experience feel natural every day.
“More than anything, I want Ro’s to feel easy,” she says. “You can come in every morning for your coffee and know the team by name, grab something quickly on your lunch break, sit down with friends, or wander through the shelves and find something new.
“Ro’s was created to be used, enjoyed, and hopefully become a little part of people’s everyday lives here. After spending so long imagining it, seeing it finally become what it was always meant to be feels a little bit like a dream.”
