Caitlin Holloway and Jonas Jessen Hansen have run their intimate cafe, Adjo, for four years from the comfort of North East Valley.
When the time to came renew their lease, the pair could not come to an agreement with their landlord, and felt there was not enough lease security to continue investing in the premises.
"If we got the lease security that we needed, I don’t think we would have ever considered moving," she said.
"What this circumstance has created is actually just us questioning whether being in North East Valley and being in this space is even the right decision for the business.
"We both believe this move is the best thing for us and we’ve come to that conclusion through circumstances that weren’t up to us."
The cafe would now occupy 333 George St - previously Kindred Cafe.
Mr Jessen Hansen was excited to discover the points of difference of operating from the central city, he said.
"Town can be a bit scary, but also exciting and challenging at the same time," he said.
"Streetworks are another challenge, but we’ll get over that."
The move meant parting ways with some of their clientele, but gave them the chance to spend even more time with their regular customers, he said. Many of them worked in the city, so could now visit them more frequently on their lunch breaks.
Ms Holloway said catering for the 30-minute lunch break window would be their focus at the new location.
She said their biggest problem had always been speed, as they had operated with limited equipment and a menu of prep-heavy food.
A bigger kitchen meant they could produce many items they had wanted to make for a while, Mr Jessen Hansen said.
He said they would ease people into the move, adding only a few new items to the menu at once, and work with local businesses to add to the neighbourhood.
Ms Holloway said it was sad to leave the valley, but they would have much more room to grow in the city.
"We wouldn’t have become the business that we are without the people that live here."
