From pizza to pantry – The Tiny Grocer brings gourmet goods to Camp Hill
From cheese and charcuterie to heat-and-eat meals and thoughtful gifts, The Tiny Grocer is bringing a gourmet edge to everyday shopping. The new concept from the Say Cheese team evolves much-loved pizzeria Spread into a boutique grocery concept. It’s small in size, but big on flavour, quality and community spirit.
When Zoe Johnstone kickstarted Spread in 2021, she did so in part to give Camp Hill locals a neighbourhood nosh spot they could call their own, but also as a way to showcase the artisanal cheese and deli meats at the heart of her catering business, Say Cheese, which occupied a commercial kitchen space out back of the Bennetts Road pizzeria.
Over the past five years, Spread has become a cherished part of Camp Hill’s dining scene, but as Say Cheese continued to increase in popularity, Zoe made the tough call to shake things up and evolve the pizzeria into a new concept.
“The motive for this pivot of the business model was to make sure that we could have the businesses more in synergy,” reveals Zoe. “With the growth of the Say Cheese side of things, we just needed to allocate more resources towards that aspect of the business.”
Wanting to remain in touch with the community and seeing a gap in the local market for a gourmet grocer, Zoe decided to flip the space into something more all-purpose. Enter The Tiny Grocer – a one-stop shop for pantry fillers, gourmet nibbles, take-home meals and thoughtful gifts.
“We love where we are and the strip of shops we’re a part of, we decided the neighbourhood needs something small like this – a boutique-y grocer,” says Zoe. “We just want to be that little destination where people can grab their small bits and pieces, or do some gift shopping if they want to assemble their own little hamper.”
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Spread’s eggshell-white aesthetic and rustic timber furnishings have been exchanged for shelves and fridges, filled to the brim with an assortment of goodies – think fruit and veg, dairy products, confectionery, fresh flowers, cold drinks, toys, smallgoods, heat-and-eat meals, cleaning supplies and larder liners.
Spend some time perusing the stock and you’ll spy condiments from Fancy Hank’s, Olsson’s Salt, organic tomato sauces from Bio Orto, McLures pickles and Olasagasti anchovies, plus much more.
“I’m really excited by all of the products we’ve chosen,” says Zoe. “It’s not all Australian made, but there’s definitely a lot of Australian brands that we are happy to have on the shelves, which is awesome.”
A large array of gourmet cheeses and charcuterie meats are also available, with locals encouraged to pop in for everything they need to entertain. Can’t decide? The Say Cheese crew will be on hand to help.
Subscribe for updates“We have really made it a focus to have some beautiful cheeses on the shelves with delicious dips and artisan crackers, too,” explains Zoe. “If people want to order their catering through us, they certainly can, but there’s always the option to come in and pick and choose and make their own beautiful platter based on the produce we have available.”
The Tiny Grocer isn’t merely a place to fill up the shopping basket – the outpost also serves lunch items that can be taken away or enjoyed at one of the tables along the footpath, including roast chicken and chips, salads and a rotating selection of sandwiches. Spread isn’t gone entirely – Zoe is keen to bring back weekly pizza nights for those eager to get a fix.
“We’ve kept all of our amazing full-time chefs on, which was a big priority for us,” says Zoe. “We’ve still got an amazing pizza chef, so we will be doing take-away pizzas on Thursday and Friday evenings.”
That sense of continuity is central to Zoe’s vision for the space’s next chapter. While the format may have shifted, the heart of the business – good food, thoughtful hospitality and a connection to the local community – remains unchanged.
In many ways, The Tiny Grocer is less a departure and more an evolution, folding Spread’s much-loved elements into a more flexible, everyday offering that better reflects how locals want to shop, eat and gather.
“We had to put it out there to say we’re not gone, we’re just kind of changing,” says Zoe. “We’re still here, but just in a different way.”
The Tiny Grocer is now open to the public. Click over to The Directory for more information.
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