Meet Les

At Merlo, coffee has always been about more than what’s in the cup. It’s about the people who walk through our doors, day after day, and the stories they bring with them. That’s why we recently sat down with over 20 Merlo coffee lovers for our Coffee Fanatics series, celebrating the rituals, memories and connections built around a truly great coffee.

Les has been visiting the Southport Torrefazione for close to a decade, but his love for Merlo goes back almost 20 years. Once he discovered Merlo, he found himself always on the lookout for that unmistakable blue sign, whether at home on the Gold Coast or travelling through Brisbane and Melbourne. After all, Les only allows himself one coffee a day, so it has to be worth it.

“Life’s too short to drink bad coffee.”

For Les, what keeps him coming back isn’t just the coffee, it’s the people. He describes the team at Merlo Southport, and across other Merlo stores, as family. Passionate, patient, welcoming and genuinely interested in their customers. It’s that warmth and sense of connection that turns a daily coffee into something much more meaningful.

When it comes to his order, Les knows exactly what he loves. A 16oz mocha with regular milk and Colombian beans. He’s tried plenty of coffees over the years, but always returns to that smooth, round flavour. Even at home, his Merlo ritual continues, with custom blends mixed by the team so he never has to go without.

Coffee, for Les, is a ritual in every sense of the word. From grinding the beans to steaming the milk just right, the process is almost meditative. It’s a small pause in the day, a moment to slow down, reset and enjoy something made with care. That same appreciation carries through to summer too, when his hot mocha becomes an iced one, complete with ice cream, cream and of course, Colombian beans.

One of Les’ favourite coffee memories isn’t even his own cup. It’s watching the way the Merlo Southport team cared for another customer who had accidentally spilled theirs. The kindness, attentiveness and generosity shown in that moment left a lasting impression and perfectly captures what Merlo is all about.

For Les, Merlo represents tradition, family and quality, values he notices and deeply appreciates every time he visits.

Our Coffee Fanatics series is just getting started, with more customer stories, memories and rituals coming soon. Keep an eye on our socials and blog as we continue celebrating the people who make Merlo what it is, one beautiful cup at a time. ☕💙