08/06/2026
The End of an Era.
After many years, we have made the difficult decision to close our South Albury store, with Monday 8th June being our final day of trade in its current capacity. We opened the doors back in 2012.
Many of you will remember it as The Barista, Baker & Brewer before it later became Valentine’s South Albury. What started in an old converted Pizza Hut building became so much more than just a café.
This store was where White Owl Coffee first began. It was where we roasted coffee in-store, experimented with new ideas, served thousands of coffees, baked countless loaves of bread, employed amazing staff and welcomed customers who became friends.
For our family, this building holds a special place in our hearts. It was a chapter that helped shape who we are today and played a major role in the growth of White Owl Coffee, Valentine’s Bakehouse and the Perry Group as a whole.
Over the years we have been fortunate to have incredible support from the Albury-Wodonga community. Whether you stopped in every day for your morning coffee, grabbed a loaf on the way home, met friends for breakfast, celebrated milestones with family and friends, or simply visited while passing through town, thank you.
Looking back through old photos, newspaper articles and memories reminds us just how much history has been created within these walls. From the early days of The Barista, Baker & Brewer through to Valentine’s South Albury, this site has been home to countless conversations, celebrations, friendships and milestones.
Importantly, this closure does not affect our other Valentine’s Bakehouse locations, which will continue to operate as normal. We look forward to continuing to serve our customers across our remaining five stores - Myer Centrepoint, White Box Rise Shopping Centre, Wodonga Plaza, Main Street Rutherglen and Wagga Marketplace.
Before we close the doors on this chapter, we’d love the opportunity to thank you personally for your support over the years.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of the journey.
Harry, Joe, Matilda, Micaela, Ross & Kay Perry
The Perry Family
