Thursday, July 24, 2014

Selling an American Dream: Australia’s Greek Café


“Every time you drink a Coke, enjoy an ice cream or sweet chocolate treat, go to the cinema, or listen to the latest popular music hit, you can thank Australia’s Greek cafés.”
-Leonard Janiszewski and Effy Alexakis

Hurstville Museum & Gallery is hosting a touring exhibition from the “In their own Image: Greek-Australians” National Project, Macquarie University, Sydney.

This photographic exhibition, curated by Effy Alexakis and Leonard Janiszweski, explores an important chapter in the development of Australian culture. Greek cafés were known for their introduction of American sodas, ice-cream sundaes, milkshakes, hamburgers, milk chocolate and hard sugar candies, into communities right across Australia.

Leonard Janiszewski and Effy Alexakis tell us more about the first modern Greek Café in Sydney:
“In 1932, Mick Adams (Joachim Tavlarides), opened Australia’s first modern ‘American-style’ milk bar, the ‘Black and White 4 pence Milk Bar’ in Sydney. The ‘milk bar’ was created by Adams based upon his observations of American drugstore soda bars – he had visited the United States two years earlier. In Australia, the Greek-run oyster saloon and soda bar/sundae ‘parlor’ had placed prime importance on sit-down trade for meals, drinks and desserts. American drugstore soda bars emphasised quick stand-up and bar-stool bar trade (soda drinks, milkshakes and sundaes) over sit-down meal trade. Adams firmly took up the American soda bar catering emphasis and highlighted the milkshake.

Seating capacity in Adams’ premises was restricted to just six small two-seater cubicles along one wall, the main feature being a long hotel-style bar with soda fountain pumps and numerous Hamilton Beach electric milkshake makers (imported from the United States). No cooked meals were offered. On the first day of opening 5,000 customers frequented the milk bar, and as many as 27,000 per week then began to patronise the establishment. Other food caterers were quick to adopt the idea and within five years of the opening of Adams’ original Black and White Milk Bar there were allegedly 4,000 milk bars in Australia; most were Greek-run. Food caterers in Great Britain and New Zealand were also quick to embrace the concept.”

Black and White 4d.Milk Bar exterior, Martin Place, Sydney, NSW, 1934.
Mick Adams is pictured here with children from the Dalwood Health Home.
Photos courtesy L. Keldoulis, from the ‘In Their Own Image: Greek-Australians’ National Project Archives, Macquarie University.


Selling an American Dream: Australia's Greek Café will be on show at Hurstville Museum & Gallery from 2 August – 28 September 2014
Don’t miss the exciting public programs and book in here

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Enhance your business skills at Hurstville Library

Hurstville Library is launching a series of talks designed to assist small ,home-based and future business owners within the local government area. Kicking off these talks will be well known business expert and trainer Adrienne McLean, founder of her own business, The Speakers Practice.

Adrienne will present, Increase Your Visibility-6 Ways to Promote Your Business, which will cover:
  • the need for businesses to innovate
  • up to date methods and practical approaches
  • using a framework of 6 marketing strategies.
  • ideas to keep your business front of mind.

With her experience of growing up in a family business, working in the corporate and small business sector plus building her own business, The Speakers Practice, Adrienne offers an enthusiastic and practical approach to the benefits of presentation skills development, learning to promote yourself and building a successful business. She is also a regular presenter, blogger and contributing author to business publications. 

This evening will also be a great opportunity to meet with staff and find out more about the range of resources and services available at Hurstville Library that will help you grow your business .



Hurstville Library
cnr Queens Rd and Dora St, Hurstville
Miles Franklin Room
Thursday 31 July, 2014 at 7pm
Bookings: online at the library website or in person
Enquiries: 9330 6142
Fee: $5


 




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Friday, July 18, 2014

Hurstville LMG Graphic Novel Expo


 


Hey! to all the graphic novel fans who came to the GN expo in May. Great news. The books you picked have arrived and are on the shelves waiting to be borrowed. Here's a sample:
Hark! A Vagrant
Neil Gaiman's the Books of Magic
daytripper by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba
Godzilla: History's Greatest Monster
Marvel Zombies 1 & 2
Come down to the library and take a look.
Big thanks to Paul Caggegi who spoke about getting his graphic novel Pandeia published and Stephen from Kings Comics for his continuing support.

Monday, July 14, 2014

New opening hours for our libraries!


 
Penshurst Branch Library is now open on Sundays between 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Additionally, from 3 August 2014, Hurstville Library will open on Sundays all day between 9.30am and 4.00pm, instead of just between 2.00pm to 5.00pm.

Visit our library services 7 days a week!