23rd November 2023 / Prue Fletcher: In-store with | Em & Ben Bangay

In-store with | Em & Ben Bangay

Owners of Side Door Wine Bar

We first met Em & Ben when booking our corporate mid-year drinks. It was mid-pandemic, and we had to change the date many times, but not once were we met with anything other than accommodation and a willingness to help bring our people together after a period of isolation. We came as clients, left as friends and that is how this dynamic duo & their special slice of Boroondara leave you feeling.

We had the pleasure of chatting with Em & Ben, sparking a wonderful conversation about the importance of family, friends and their formula for ~~success~~ FUN!

Enjoy!

Take us back to the beginning, where did the Side Door journey begin . . .

It began not long after we moved from Bondi to Balwyn! We just couldn't find anywhere that wasn't a pub or fine dining in the area! Our brother-in-law Dom- who was a local - had loved this building for years. We always referred to it as The Flatiron Building after the New York landmark. It had fallen into disrepair when he bought it. At about the same time Sam and Pen were looking for a location to open their shop so Ben set about gutting the building and rebuilding the space to create a lifestyle platform that offered fashion, food, wine, design and good times! He did everything by hand; from welding the doors in our backyard to hand building the curved bar and the marble tables. However, planting The Garden Room and exterior Boston Ivy was the first step so that it matured over time and enclosed the space. Before we knew it, we had a license and we unlocked the side door on the same day!

Fletchers has been in business alongside you for over 100 years. Tell us, what does owning a family business mean to you both.

Ben and I both have other creative careers, he as an established Production Designer in film and TV and myself as a magazine journalist and copywriter, so coming together and utilizing our creative strengths in a space that revolves around fun, family and friends is a gift. We never ever set out to be 'the next big thing' and have built Side Door around longevity. To us, it's about creating an experience that feels like 'home' through beautiful light, lush gardens, textured seating and great tunes. That never goes out of fashion.

What do you love most about living and working in Boroondara?

Funnily enough we are both beach people, but Ben is a keen gardener and apparently the soil is good around here! Of course there are great schools and everything at your fingertips - with the city down one road and the Yarra down the other - but our little corner of Boroondara offers a sanctuary for us. It's a perfect base for us and the kids as they get older.

What are some of the lessons you've learned in building a business together?

Stick to your strengths. We have incredible staff that have started as bussie's and worked their way up, so nurturing talent is also important. We try to remain authentic and don't try to mess with our formula too much either. We have found that people gravitate towards creature comforts and that is what we try to create through the tunes we play, the art we display, the food we serve and the wine we pour. Nothing is pretentious. It's just elements of life we love that hopefully resonate with our clientele!

Both of your families are filled with an abundance of creativity and talent, Australia's most sought-after garden designer Paul Bangay and FLATIRON Label sisters Penny Duggan and Sam Scally are your siblings. Tell us, what valuable advice have they shared when supporting you in chasing your dreams?

That your passion can be your profession! No success is overnight, and we see how tirelessly our siblings work to establish incredible careers and creative legacies but for us, Side Door is a joy. Seeing people have fun is a joy!

When featuring artwork at Side Door, where do you go for inspiration?

Friends! Nothing in this space is transactional. It has to have heart. Our larger pieces are the work of Robert Doble - a very old friend of the Bangay family. We love him and his work. We have some new pieces coming in from Mandy Couzens - an insanely talented photographer and my best friend from high school! So we are excited to introduce those pieces for summer…

You're currently renovating your own home in the area, do your business & personal style align?

Home is a little more minimalist but the similarities are a lush garden, great light, lots of art and music playing…always!

If family or friends are coming for lunch, what would you recommend they eat and drink?

Something that can be shared over laughs. No pomp. No ceremony. Fresh produce and a cold margarita. Done!

What can we look forward to over the Summer months at Side Door.

Lots of shiny, happy people! The Garden Room is so popular for parties as it's intimate and hidden, but still super chic and spacious. Good tunes (always!) and fabulous fuss-free cocktails and fare. We go into every weekend treating each booking - big or small - with consideration. Time is precious - especially close to Christmas - so it's all about making sure people enjoy every minute. We also love walk-ins, puppies, bubs and first dates. Winter see's lots of weddings too so we are busy planning for that already!