A large
‘SOLD’ sign now sits atop the awning of Cafe Ella. Last Saturday, 274 Abercrombie Street was sold to the highest bidder. The building, business, and all the furnishings and bric-a-brac inside no longer belong to Peter Borbilas and Priscilla Boswell, ending an era that began when they served their first coffee back in 1996.
Cafe Ella was long a staple of the Redfern Run. Their homemade boiled bagels and warm atmosphere drew in crowds of local artists and university students. The sounds of Bob Dylan and Miles Davis drifted through the cafe, punctuated by footsteps heading up the creaky wooden stairs. The beige walls were decked with Paul Worsted paintings and bookshelves chock full of old records and second-hand book store finds.