“We put in basically all our life savings. An Indian-origin couple who invested more than $100,000 (around Rs 94 lakh) of their life savings in their dream cafe in Melbourne have been left devastated after a suspected arson attack at a neighbouring tobacco shop caused extensive damage to their business. Ashish Sharma and Manali Purohit opened their vegan cafe, And Bodega, in Fitzroy North in July 2026 after spending five months renovating the premises, sourcing second-hand furniture and carrying out much of the work themselves, according to The Australia Today.
We did a lot of it DIY,” said co-owner Sharma.
No arrests had been reported in the initial coverage of the incident. Police believe one or more offenders broke into the tobacco shop and deliberately set it on fire. The shop was destroyed, while the cafe and other nearby businesses suffered extensive damage. The couple suffered another setback the day after the fire. Sharma described the scene as resembling a warzone, with the roof melted and soot covering the premises.
Emergency services were called to St Georges Road at around 3.45 am after reports of an explosion, according to Australian media reports. The incident is part of a wider spate of firebombings targeting tobacco shops across Melbourne, with hundreds of similar attacks reported since late 2023. About $5,000 worth of technology and equipment was reportedly stolen from the fire-damaged cafe.
Police have also said there was no indication that the targeted tobacconist was selling illicit tobacco. The couple said the destruction had left them struggling to come to terms with the loss of a business they had built with their savings and months of hard work.
