Evil Eye Cafe, which currently has branches in Fairy Meadow and on Cliff Road, Wollongong, is seeking out interested operators to run franchises of the business.

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Despite having only opened the first cafe in Fairy Meadow in 2020, co-owner Steve Gunes said the business had boomed in the past two years despite the lockdown hitting the hospitality industry hard.

"We've been going strength to strength since we opened, while everyone else is shutting shop," Mr Gunes said.

Driving the business's success so far has been the unique concept at the two cafes. Drawing on the concept of the blue evil eye, which can be found throughout the eastern Mediterranean, the menu combines cafe classics with dishes from this region.

Mr Gunes said he developed the concept as he moved from a state-wide sales and marketing role into something more local and felt that there was a space for a concept driven cafe in the Illawarra hospitality scene.

"We looked around to see what our competitors were doing in the space of the cafe industry, and most of the cafe industries that we looked at, were pretty much the same."

Along with son and business partner Kayahan, Mr Gunes has developed a solid local following for the business, and has seen interest from broader afield.

"We get people coming from Melbourne, from all over Sydney, Canberra, Queensland, saying, 'Look, this is this is an amazing concept.'"

The proposed model would operate as a traditional franchise, with opportunities at various sized from neighbourhood cafes to shopping centre set ups. Mr Gunes said what would set up an Evil Eye cafe from other cafe franchises is the unique fit-out and menu.

"Having that look and vibe with the flowers and murals and Mediterranean selections on the menu as well."

With interest from around Australia and internationally as well, Mr Gunes said he hoped that in future, Wollongong residents could look upon the business as a source of local pride.

"We would like to see the Evil Eye Brand like the Hard Rock Cafe brand. So when someone from Wollongong sees it in Greece, they'll be happy to say this was set up in Wollongong."

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