I love anything that brings the best of small-town sensibilities into the city. I also love a good mixed business. In fact, I think I just love the the category name in itself. Every time I pass Joe & Roy’s Mixed Business I imagine Joe and Roy’s conversation over an espresso or two: Joe: I was thinking of opening up a supermarket Roy: Yeah? I was thinking of opening up a deli, or maybe a florist. Joe: How about we mix those businesses together? Roy: Can we do that? What would we call it? Joe: How about Joe and Roy’s Mixed Business? Roy: YES. (It differs a little from time to time, but that’s generally how it goes.) Joe and Roy’s business is a mixture of fresh fruit and veg, breads, magazines, lollies, toiletries, ice creams, your general grocery goods and fresh flowers, all at decent prices for what I’ve come to expect of suburban corner stores/mixed businesses. Their impressive list of brands include Pastabilities Frozen Pastas, Movenpick and New Zealand Natural ice cream, Maggie Beer pasta sauces and olive oils, a reasonable selection of cheeses(at least three different kinds of feta), Northside Fine Foods deli meats, Yalla yoghurts and Orgran gluten-free products. They’ve got a small range of party goods(Joe also entertained the idea of a Party Shop for a while there) and their own freshly made pastas(spag bol, fettucini carbonara, etc.). Joe and Roy’s is a truly local establishment, with people greeted by name as they enter. Small town sensibilities in a beautiful mixed business. Good one Joe and Roy.