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Selling East London’s iconic Lavender Blue Farmer’s Market was a wrench for Karen Esterhuyse, but now she owns a mini version of her successful restaurant near the seaside in Cape Town.
East London-born Esterhuyse, 53, changed the face of family brunches in the city when she opened Lavender Blue in 2004.
With its semirural, family-friendly setting alongside a duck pond and a market offering fresh local produce, the restaurant soon had a devoted following.
Now living in Simon’s Town, Esterhuyse recalls the early days of her business which she grew from a rudimentary shed after returning to the city from Stellenbosch with her former husband, Len, and their children, Michelle, Jadon and Hannah.
“The idea of creating something on the farm had been brewing for a while.
“My uncle, who had recently died, had built a shed that had a skeleton of an office and some farm implements and a tractor in it.
“It had basic electricity and a big tank next to it to collect rain water,” she said.
Esterhuyse envisioned the shed as a perfect location for a farmer’s market.
“A place where the farmers could sell their fresh produce, local entrepreneurs could sell their self-made food items and we could make breakfast and serve coffee to families in a wholesome environment on a farm but close enough to town to make it easily accessible for everyone.
“Our first farmer’s market was on the Saturday of the Easter weekend.
“We opened at 6.30am and closed at 9am and we sold out of every single thing that we had. And so Lavender Blue Market began.
“It was a great journey — completely organic in its growth and absolutely unplanned in terms of what it would become — a place for everyone to meet, greet, shop and eat, which became our slogan for the 17 years to follow.
“I was surrounded by loyal, hard-working, dedicated staff, including Zoleka Madondile who started the journey with me from the very first Saturday.”
The restaurant hit a chord and it was soon open seven days a week and employed 50 women and two men.
Our staff were the most important component of our success. They were the heart of Lavender Blue
“Our staff were the most important component of our success. They were the heart of Lavender Blue.”
Esterhuyse also credits the customers and friends who came through the doors for her success.
“I had no expectations for Lavender Blue.
“All I had was a vision of what I wanted Lavender Blue to be to both me and to all our customers and friends.
“I can talk for hours about the people that passed through our doors who added to the Lavender Blue recipe — the most individual, beautiful, warm, sincere, loving people.
“They helped us create the Lavender Blue that everyone saw.”
With growth came the need for more tables.
“Furniture became a big deal. I wanted some big tables in the restaurant so that strangers would be forced to share tables and share part of themselves.
“I believe relationships are often built around food and I do believe our customers got this.”
After 18 years, the decision to sell was not an easy one.
“I felt it had gone as far as I could take it and it was time for someone else to carry on what we had started.
“We thought about our decision a million times over after owning it for 18 years, but it was time and we wish James and Natasha [Hogg] all the best in their future endeavours at Lavender Blue Market.”
With her children out of school and studying in Cape Town and her parents retired there, moving to the city in 2021 was a no-brainer.
“I had in the meantime married a man from the most beautiful part of Cape Town.
“I was ready for a new adventure — so it seemed a good place to start one.”
Happily ensconced in her new coastal home which she shares with husband, Lawrence, her daughter Hannah, 22, Enzo the springer spaniel and c4 the cat, in the Peninsula’s deep south, Esterhuyse was ready to launch a new business — or two.
On Valentine’s Day in 2023, she opened Gawjus in Fish Hoek.
Compact and colourful, the restaurant is infused with the same bold creative vintage country vibe that underpinned her aesthetic at Lavender Blue.
“I opened Gawjus Fish Hoek for the same reason that I opened Lavender Blue — to create a space where people could meet, greet, shop and eat.
“So to this extent Gawjus Fish Hoek is a child of Lavender Blue market.
“We do exactly the same as we did at Lavender Blue, but on a smaller scale to a different group of customers who appreciate exactly the same things as our East London customers did.”
The cafe may be a mini-me of Lavender Blue, but a side staircase leads to a little shop stocked with beautifully patterned cotton pyjamas, gowns and loungewear and this is Esterhuyse’s second business, also named Gawjus, a brand that is going global.
“Running Gawjus coffee shop in Fish Hoek one would imagine to be far easier than running Lavender Blue Market, however, the coffee shop is the face of Gawjus.
“Behind it beats the heart of a vibrant e-commerce business which we started in March 2023 called Gawjus Cape Town.
“So now our typical day is divided between managing Gawjus coffee shop and our online business — gawjus.capetown.
“We have just recently launched Gawjus New Zealand and Gawjus Australia is coming soon.
“So I’m afraid there has been very little opportunity to put my feet up.”
While she describes her new neck of the woods as having “a magical laid back, homely charm about it”, Esterhuyse has great affection for her hometown.
“I miss everything about East London. My family, my staff, Lavender Blue Market, the farm, our customers. Those were such happy years.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to East London. Not only for Lavender Blue Market, but for our three wonderful children who got the opportunity to grow up in the best of environments.
“I remain connected to East London not only through our ownership of the Gawjus clothing store at Lavender Blue but through my family and our Lavender friends and staff.
“We visit regularly — not only to take care of business — but also to see our friends and family.”
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