Dane makes scooping ice-cream look easy but there’s actually quite a skill to it and it took him a bit of time to master.
“It was a lot harder than I expected at first. Obviously, once you know how to do it, it’s fine, but it takes a while to get used to.”
It’s all part of the training at Baskin-Robbins. Dane has been in the store at the front of Hoyts since December last year. He’s also at uni studying business and hopes to get a job in finance or economics. For now, he has to deal with the supply and demand for ice-cream, milkshakes, brownies, sticky date puddings, and waffles.
The store typically opens at 10:30am, so Dane gets in at 10.
“You set everything up, make sure everything’s stocked, all the milk, all the cones, all the cups. And once the store’s ready, which usually takes 20min to half an hour, you open, and then as customers come in you serve them.”
There are 16 different flavours of ice-cream on display at a time.
“We have a flavour of the month. Every month it changes.”
Occasionally they need to find a back-up if their flavour of the month is too popular.
“We had Choc Chip Cookie Dough once, but we ran out so we replaced it with Pistachio Almond.”
Pistachio Almond was no where near as popular.
So what are the top sellers?
“Most popular could be Hokey Pokey or maybe Chocolate. Those two are quite popular. Or with children – every kid orders Cotton Candy.”
Working in EQ, Dane’s had some interesting customers.
“I served Shane Watson who’s an Australian cricketer. I’ve served a couple of the Roosters players. And there’s a bird that always flies into the store. Absolute pest!”
Yes, literally, a Myna bird that comes to feast on the sprinkles and crumbs on the floor.
“It obviously told its friends and now they all come!”
Being in an open-spaced kiosk at the front of a building has its ups and downs.
“It’s pretty exposed, so if it’s cold, you’re cold, if it’s hot you’re sweating, and then birds come in…that’s probably the only issue. Apart from that it’s good because people walk past and they see you. And you’re in fresh air which is nice.”
Dane has got to know people from around EQ who walk past routinely. The kids from Brent Street are good customer and there are local workers who like their regular shakes. He likes working in EQ.
“It’s close to where I live. The staff are all nice. It’s pretty chill, like it’s not a high intensity job and the hours are quite flexible.”
Dane approaches goal-setting the way many people approach eating an ice-cream – he prefers to take little bites.
“I normally just set small goals to achieve rather than having a big goal to work towards, because I feel if I have a big goal I’m less motivated because it’s harder to notice achievement.”
And his immediate goal?
“Pretty much just finish my degree and get a job. That’s it for the moment.”
He’s not really sure where it will go from there.
“I don’t see myself owning a business but you never know, that could change in five years, ten years.”
And when he’s not working?
“I love to hang out with mates, girlfriend. Pretty much just go to the gym, play sport, play football, cricket.”
His favourite flavour of ice-cream?
Love Potion.
