‘The people’s café in the people’s library’: Greek owned Mr Tulk Cafe facing closure
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
A growing campaign is underway to save Mr Tulk Cafe inside the State Library of Victoria, after its operators were told they must vacate the space by mid-May following a tender process that owner Michael Togias says was draining and complex.
The café has long been a meeting place for students, writers, families and even Melbourne’s Greek community.
Togias told Neos Kosmos the decision to remove it reflects a shift away from the library’s public mission toward commercial events.
“We’ve always tried to run it as the people’s café in the people’s library — open and engaging and accommodating,” he said.
“We get the Greek people from Lonsdale Street, they take their kids to Greek school and they come here afterwards. We get interstate people, overseas people, students, library visitors, local residents, city dwellers. This is such a service for so many people for so many different reasons.”
Years of disruption
Togias bought the business in 2017, but says much of that time was lost to circumstances beyond his control.
“I bought the business in 2017 and then within a few months they did library renovations, which took about two years, and then we had COVID in 2020,” he said.
“So we’ve had it for like eight and a half years, and during that time we’ve had half the time where we’ve had no ability to make a return on our investment.”
During COVID, Togias said he approached library management seeking some relief.
“We went to the management and we asked, could we get an extension because we were forced to close down during COVID, just to be able to get a return on our investment,” he said.
“They said, ‘No, no, it’s too early. When you’ve got two years left on your lease, then you can make an application.’ When there was two years left, we tried to engage — they didn’t want to engage.”
Instead, Togias was told the space would be put out to tender.
Mr Tulk ultimately lost the tender to a large events group who have now received significant international backing.
Togias claims the tender seemed to suit larger entities over smaller businesses due to its subjective nature.
He said some categories were hard to understand and could be open to interpretation.
Togias says he has now been told Mr Tulk must vacate the space by mid-May.
A petition calling for government intervention has begun gathering signatures, supported by prominent journalists and writers.
The petition will be sent to Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks MP and Secretary of the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions Matt Carrick.
The likes of John Martino, Gideon Haigh and Jeff Waters are all supporting the initiative.
Concerns of interim leadership
Togias is concerned that the decision was made by an interim board and management.
He would like people with library experience on the board, and he is worried that the library’s history could be ignored.
With one example being the acting CEO not knowing who the café is named after.
“The acting CEO doesn’t even know who Mr Tulk was. Mr Tulk was the first librarian. They’ve got a whole building named after him and a plaque, and he thought I was Mr Tulk.”
“That’s the kind of regard and respect they have for the library’s heritage and tradition.”
He says the removal of Mr Tulk reflects a broader shift in today’s day and age.
“They keep pushing these public spaces into private spaces,” he said.
“Don’t profess to be the people’s library. Just profess yourself to be the event library capital of the world.”
Neos Kosmos has reached out to the State Library for comment.
The original article: belongs to NEOS KOSMOS .
