Ashish Sharma and Manali Purohit had invested almost all of their life savings into opening their dream vegan cafe in Melbourne.
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Sharma → invest → Melbourne
But after just three months of operating, they lost their entire space to an arson attack by tobacconists, as per a report by The Australia Today.
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they → operate → Today
On the morning of October 12, the cafe was severely damaged in a suspected arson attack that gutted the tobacco shop next door, which had opened in recent weeks.
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which → damage → weeks
The day after the firebombing, about $5,000 worth of technology and equipment was stolen from the burnt-out cafe.
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worth → steal → cafe
When the couple entered the cafe after the robbery, Sharma said it felt like their "dream had been ripped away."
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dream → enter → robbery
“It felt like a warzone,” he said.
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he → feel → warzone
“The roof had melted off – soot everywhere.”
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roof → melt → ?
It was in July 2026 that the couple's cafe 'And Bodega' opened in Melbourne's Fitzroy North.
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cafe → open → North
They had spent the past five months scouring Facebook Marketplace for second-hand furniture, layered coats of paint on walls and installed plumbing to fit out their dream.
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They → spend → dream
“We put in basically all our life savings.
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We → put → savings
We did a lot of it DIY,” said co-owner Sharma to The Guardian.
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Sharma → do → Guardian
Purohit, who grew up in Mumbai and trained as a pastry chef in India, had hoped their plant-based cafe would become a welcoming neighbourhood destination.
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cafe → grow → India
When a new business moved in next door, they initially believed it would be a grocery store that complemented their cafe.
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that → move → cafe
However, their concerns grew when they realised it may be a tobacco shop instead.
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it → grow → ?
The couple said customers had also expressed fears about the possibility of arson attacks, amid a wider wave of firebombings targeting tobacconists across Victoria.
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customers → say → Victoria
This attack has come amid a series of firebombings attacking tobacconists across Melbourne, with hundreds hit since late 2023.
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hundreds → come → 2023
In late September, Purohit noticed broken glass at the neighbouring shop and a handwritten note on its wall.
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Purohit → notice → wall
The tobacconist’s windows were reportedly smashed again shortly before the October attack.
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windows → smash → attack
Emergency services were called to respond to reports of an explosion on St Georges Road about 3:40 am on Monday.
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services → call → Monday
Police investigators believe one or multiple offenders forced entry into the tobacco shop and set it alight.
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offenders → believe → it
The tobacconist was completely destroyed, while And Bodega and other neighbouring businesses were damaged, police said in a statement.
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police → destroy → statement
According to Guardian Australia, small businesses located near tobacconists are being denied insurance or priced out of coverage as rising arson attacks lead to collateral damage.
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attacks → accord → damage
For Sharma and Purohit, their contents insurance, taken out before the tobacco store opening, is expected to provide a payout of about $25,000.
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insurance → take → 25,000
But the funds are not expected to cover the costs of rebuilding the cafe at the same location.
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funds → expect → location
Currently, the couple have set up a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for repairing and replacing equipment, paying outstanding staff and supplier costs while looking for a new home for And Bodega.
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couple → set → Bodega
“The only reason we’re positive is because of the people,” Sharma said.
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Sharma → ’re → people
“It’s really overwhelming, the love and support.”
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It → ’ → love
Purohit said they have also received offers from fellow small businesses to donate portions of their profits to the couple, host fundraisers and drop off ice-cream.
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they → say → cream
“Words can’t describe just how seen and loved we feel,” she said.
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she → describe → ?
In September 2026, new laws allowing inspectors to close stores that sell illegal tobacco products came into effect in Victoria.
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that → allow → Victoria
However, the Victorian Coalition said the government's new closure powers "had barely made a dent" and vowed that if elected next month, it would bolster laws and increase police presence to close down illegal retailers.
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it → say → retailers
As for Sharma and Purohit, they hope to reopen And Bodega as a smaller hole-in-the-wall cafe serving baked goods and coffee.
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they → hope → goods
“If we can restart, it’s at least one small way to fight against the violence,” Sharma said.
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Sharma → restart → violence
The Aporia
