AFTER hosting four lots of tenants over six years of retirement, Bob and Lynn Hay are back in business and can't wait to get the Bargara Berries cafe back up and running.
Mr and Mrs Hay had spent the past 18 months travelling through north Queensland enjoying their boating and fishing retirement, but when the final tenants didn't renew the lease, the couple decided to give restaurant life another go.
"We thought we might come back and try to revitalise the cafe and get it back to what it was," Mr Hay said.
"This is a big challenge we're taking on, we're not young anymore, but we've got some great support around us."
At 68 and 70 years-of-age, Lynn and Bob are bringing back all the old favourites the strawberry farmers were known for.
"The main one people used to love were the strawberry pancakes," Mr Hay said.
"We used our own strawberries and that was a very successful dish.
"The food will be similar to our old menu, house made with fresh local food, fruit and vegetables."
The couple are busy trying to get the cafe back up to scratch and are currently trimming the gardens, restocking tables and chairs, and painting the interior to give it a fresh look.
"We will have to spend about $10,000 before it will be ready for customers," Mr Hay said.
"After being away for so long it needed some restoration and a bit of a facelift."
Mr and Mrs Hay have also put a call out for experiences workers to join the reinvigorated business, set to open their doors in June.
"We're looking to put on probably about half a dozen staff," Mr Hay said.
"When we were operating about six years ago we had eight to 10 people working.
"We'll kick off by employing six staff members, feel the waters, and go from there."
After the many changes of hands the business has been through, Mr Hay wants the public to know they're back to provide value for money.
"We're all about good food with a reasonable price," Mr Hay said.
"As always people can expect lots of fruit, tasty meals and delicious strawberry pancakes."
The couple plan to build up the business for a couple of years and then sell the cafe to head back into retired life.
"Leasing the establishment hasn't worked so well for us, so we've returned to get it going to what it was and then sell it in a few years' time," Mrs Hay said.
"Nobody likes to buy a building that's not functional so we'll get it going and see how it looks."
The Bargara Berries shop that sits in front of the cafe will continue to sell jams, sauces and other local fruit and vegetables but operates separately to the cafe.