The good folk behind Assembly and TINA have plenty to be proud of: stellar products adored by the industry and tea and coffee lovers alike, an MF&W Trailblazer award back in 2024, and now, a brand-new North Melbourne home that brings together their folio of tea, coffee and delicious alcohol alternatives.
It’s called The Workshop. The founders of the two brands Christina Trabucco and Imogen Hayes describe their second location less like a cafe and more like a cellar door for coffee and tea fanatics – a place to stock up on your favourite roast, say, Assembly’s full-bodied and beloved house blend, just as it is to sample the latest can of ginko and scared lotus-infused TINA.
“Having more creative space in North Melbourne means there’s a dedicated lab and prep kitchen where Assembly and TINA can develop seasonal drinks, with plenty of brewing, fermenting, blending and tasting,” says Christina Trabucco. “Guests will be able to enjoy all of that, like our new blackberry and sage coffee spritz that launched with spring.”
More space means that the team can scale both brands: more space for roasting, for production, for storing, and most importantly, for developing new and exciting flavours. And while things might look bigger and shinier at the new North Melbourne digs, for Trabucco and Hayes, the mission remains the same.
“You’ll find the same warm, genuine care and hospitality that’s at the heart of Assembly,” says Trabucco. “Tea and coffee get equal care and attention, and there’s lots available to take home and brew. The same outstanding seasonal tea selection. The same coffee, sourced with principle from producers who know their craft, then expertly roasted in small batches by us here in North Melbourne.”
And opening another café in a market as saturated as Melbourne wasn’t a move made on a whim for Trabucco and Hayes. The idea for The Workshop had been in the works for some time, and when recently, the ideas, people, and product behind the brands couldn’t be contained just within their Carlton space, the duo knew it was time.
“Melbourne’s coffee scene has been blowing up for well over a decade now, so it’s fair to ask ‘Do we really need another one?’ Honestly, I asked myself that too… The space feels significant to us, though, to keep building on the community that’s formed around Assembly over the years. and to open things up to make room for more ideas and more people.”
The Workshop, 38 Baillie St, North Melbourne, open 7am-2pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat, assemblystore.com, @assemblystoreau, @tina.drinks