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BELLA Blue has celebrated its first birthday.
Couple Nina Bice and Kevin Harding started the Hargreaves Street cafe in memory of their daughter Tayla - who took her life.
The cafe, situated in an alleyway, offers customers a fun, friendly and vibrant atmosphere, with an increasing number of people venturing through its doors each week, staff say.
Head chef Tristan Burgess was there from the start and said marking one year was a milestone.
"It is an accomplishment that we made 12 months. The hell we went through to get this place up and running - everything is now set in stone and going the way we wanted," Mr Burgess said.
Mr Burgess, a good friend of Ms Bice and Mr Harding, knew Tayla. He said opening the cafe in memory of the 17-year-old gave extra meaning to the business.
"It makes it more worthwhile, instead of waking up one morning and saying, "Lets open a cafe", it's made it like we are actually achieving something," Mr Burgess said.
"It's one of those things, we have turned the negative situation into a positive. If people think of us as that sort of place, people might come in and talk. You never know who you can help."
Mr Burgess said there were times when the trio didn't think the cafe would open but they pushed through.
On Saturday, the cafe played live music and small businesses were invited to set up stalls. People trickled in all day long - drinking coffee, eating lunch and chatting to staff.
Mr Burgess said feedback from customers was the cafe was welcoming and inviting.
"We have people who come in and have one coffee but sit for an hour. We don't pressure people to come in and leave straight away. If they spend $4 or $40 - it's all the same," he said.
The cafe employs about 10 staff. Mr Burgess likened his colleagues to a family.
"We try to keep work, work and private life, private life but it has become hard because we are so close. We feed off each other, we fight, we bicker but at the end of the day, when we knock off, we have a beer and it's all forgotten. I wouldn't have it any other way," he said.
Bella Blue is set to open a wine bar in the near future.