From Vintage Volkswagens to Perth’s Favourite Bagels

Some businesses are built from a business plan. Others begin with curiosity, creativity and the courage to back an idea.

For Pele Liascos, the journey to opening one of Perth’s most loved bagel destinations started long before the first bagel was ever served. It began in a workshop in White Gum Valley, restoring vintage Volkswagens and pursuing a lifelong passion for building things with his hands.

Surrounded by the creative energy of Fremantle’s Stack Street, Pele recognised an opportunity to create something unique. Drawing on his family’s deep roots in Fremantle hospitality, he transformed the front of his restoration workshop into Tinsmith Garage in 2021. A café unlike anything else in Perth, where exceptional coffee, great food and classic VW’s came together under one roof. It quickly became a local favourite, and today remains a much-loved destination nestled in the backstreets of Freo.

Coffee has been at the heart of the journey

When Pele opened Tinsmith Garage in 2021, one thing was non-negotiable. If people were coming for the experience, the coffee had to be every bit as memorable as the venue itself. That’s where the partnership with GESHA Coffee Co. began.

From day one, GESHA has proudly supplied wholesale specialty coffee to Tinsmith Garage, working alongside Pele and his team to deliver consistently fresh and high-quality coffee, backed by technical support, equipment servicing and a shared commitment to quality. Like any successful hospitality business, consistency matters.

Every coffee served reflects not only the quality of the beans, but the people, systems and support behind them.

A lightbulb moment

While growing Tinsmith Garage into one of Fremantle’s favourite local spots, Pele was always looking ahead. He recognised a genuine gap in the market for simple, handcrafted bagels, nothing more, nothing less. Rather than overcomplicating the concept, he focused on doing one thing exceptionally well — quality ingredients, thoughtful execution and creating a venue people genuinely wanted to return to.

In October 2024, Staples Bagels opened its doors on South Freo’s bustling South Terrace strip. Operating from its now-iconic shipping container, Staples quickly built a loyal (and cult-like following) for its handcrafted bagels, incredible cookies and, of course, exceptional GESHA coffee. Today, it’s one of Perth’s most talked-about breakfast and lunch destinations, with queues worth lining up for.

Continuing the coffee partnership

When it came time to bring Staples Bagels to life, choosing a coffee partner wasn’t a difficult decision for Pele. After building a successful relationship together at Tinsmith Garage, he chose to continue working with us for his next venture.

Today, we’re proud to be the wholesale coffee supplier for both of Pele’s venues. From supplying freshly roasted specialty coffee and equipment servicing to ongoing technical support and barista training, our role is to be a trusted, approachable and reliable partner that grows alongside both businesses.

While Tinsmith Garage and Staples Bagels each have their own distinct identity, they share the same philosophy; never compromise on quality, whether it’s the food, the coffee or the customer experience. Watching Pele grow from one thriving hospitality venue to two has been incredibly rewarding, and we’re grateful to have been part of that journey from the very beginning.

For us, our wholesale partnerships are built on more than just exceptional coffee supply. They’re built on trust. When our wholesale partners succeed, we succeed. We look forward to continuing that partnership with Pele for many years to come and to seeing what might be next (stay tuned for that…).

Visit the Venues

Tinsmith Garage – 16 Stack Street, Fremantle, Western Australia
Staples Bagels – 309c South Terrace, South Fremantle, Western Australia

Wholesale Coffee Partnership

• Weekly specialty coffee supply
• Supply of coffee machine, equipment and cafe consumables
• Regular coffee machine and equipment servicing
• 24/7 in-house customer service & technical support
• Barista training at GESHA’s Barista Academy