19/11/2025
🌿 25 Years Ago… 🌿
It feels like just yesterday that this little corner on Monument Road and Palm Avenue came back to life.
Twenty-five years ago, we reopened the doors of Olympia Café full of dreams, nerves, and the quiet hope that our hard work would mean something to our community.
We still remember that newspaper article from 1999, our photo, our plans, our promise to bring something special back to Kempton Park. In that picture stands my dad, the true heart and soul of Olympia. What began as a retirement hobby for him quickly became his pride and joy. He poured his warmth and work ethic into every part of the business, and his presence filled the shop with life. Though he passed away in 2008, his spirit still lingers in every memory we hold of those early years.
Olympia was more than a business; it was family. A place of laughter, long hours, friendships, and the comforting rhythm of community. In 2014, we passed it on to new hands and began another adventure with Fonso’s, a chapter that brought its own joys and lessons. When COVID-19 arrived, life changed again, and we found ourselves returning to what we love most: creating from home, side by side.
Today, Annemari and I run a small online bakery, still guided by the same heart that started it all: family, passion, and the joy of sharing good things with good people.
To everyone who has supported us through all these seasons, from Olympia’s early days, through Fonso’s, to our kitchen table today, thank you. You’ve been part of every step of our story. 💛
With love,
Charles & Annemari
