Kayahan-Curtis Gunes

Ex-Cop Turned Café Owner Goes Viral

An ex-cop turned café owner has gone viral on social media, after starting a TikTok and Instagram to take his followers behind the scenes of life at his café.

With 45.1k followers and 532.1k likes on TikTok, and 14.3k followers on Instagram, Wollongong local Kayahan Curtis Gunes credits the success of his cafés in part to social media.

“Like most people, I started to post on social media to gain more exposure for my business,” Kayahan said.

“I also wanted to show that Evil Eye Cafe isn’t just a business, but that there’s a real person behind it who has a personality and story.

“I wanted to bring joy and entertainment to people while promoting my business. The videos that I like to film are coffee or hospitality related, but also humorous and something the public can relate to.

“I chose Instagram and TikTok as my main platforms, because I know they are used by a lot of people. Viral marketing is also very much alive on these platforms.”

Kayahan added that several of his own videos and posts have ended up going viral.

“One of my videos that has gone viral is where I am seen in my police uniform, before and transitioning to working in my coffee shop and running my own business,” he said.

“Customers always come in and say they’ve seen me on TikTok, and love my videos. I often get recognised in the street, and people come up to say hello and ask to take photos with me.”

Kayahan started his career as a police officer, following in the footsteps of his mother. After spending eight months training in Goulburn, he graduated from the academy and started his policing career in St George.

After two years working in the police force though, he realised business was where his passion truly was. Having already graduated from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Business in 2017, he decided to finally pursue his dream of owning his own business with his father, Steve.

“I decided I wanted to open a café, because of my love for coffee. My entire family are big coffee lovers too. Every day that we have off, we always go for coffees,” Kayahan said.

Kayahan opened his first café in 2020 in Fairy Meadow, named the Evil Eye Café. He chose the name and theme because of its strong ties to his Turkish heritage.

“Coming from a Turkish background, the Evil Eye is a very prominent symbol,” Kayahan said.

“Growing up, the symbol of the Evil Eye was all around my house, so when we were thinking of a name of the café, we thought, ‘Why not name it the Evil Eye Café?’”

The café is Australia’s only Evil Eye themed café, based on a Turkish pendant that is believed to protect against supernatural curses and malice.

It was named as a finalist in the Illawarra Business Awards, with people coming from all over Australia to experience its distinctive décor, and delicious menu of Turkish and Mediterranean-inspired delights.

Kayahan and Steve then went on to open their second café – The Evil Eye Beach Café – in the Wollongong Harbour in 2021 during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Over the coming years, Kayahan hopes to continue growing his Evil Eye Café franchise by opening more cafes throughout New South Wales, and later Queensland and Victoria.

Find Kayahan on TikTok .4 and Instagram .

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