MOANA CAFÉ – the First Proprietors

DEMETRIUS ANGELS 1908–1914

Demetrius Angels became the first proprietor of the Moana Cafe in March 1908 and commenced a dubious lineage of licensing and employment breaches whilst providing fine dining and entertainment to Perth’s elite.

Angels had operated Dining Rooms and an Oyster Saloon in an existing building on the site from 1901 and the Strand Cafe (1904) also in Hay Street. Although unsuccessful in early attempts to obtain a Colonial Wine Licence, Angels’ ambitions were not thwarted and he described the Moana Cafe & Dining Rooms as “the largest and best appointed café in Australia; banquets, suppers, wedding parties and ‘at homes’ provided for; private dinners, oyster suppers, pastry-cooks, fruiterers, confectioners, & caterers; wedding and birthdays cakes a speciality; ladies afternoon teas.”

Moana’s reputation as the ‘swaggerest restaurant in the metropolis’ was not impeded by scandal. In 1910 a pantry man, Nicholas Consoukas of Moana Cafe, was charged with throwing a knife at kitchen maid Eva Smith and cutting her wrist. (Reference) Angels was also incorrectly identified as a suicide victim found in Kings Park and the story went to print before the true identity of the victim was known due to the striking resemblance between the two men.

“This Angel, who seems to have a mighty poor chance of ever donning a halo, makes a practice of employing his helps at the lowest possible rate of wages.”  

Truth, Saturday 18 November 1911

By 1911 the exploitative work practices of Angels were infamous as was his opposition to all Unions. Angels, along with other local proprietors, was involved in a dispute heard in the Arbitration Court, relating to the wages and conditions of professional musicians, which had been filed by the Metropolitan Musicians’ Union of Workers WA. In July 1912, he faced defamation charges after firing an employee, Nicholas Stamboulis, accusing him of being a ‘murderer’. Evidence was given by the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union, that Stamboulis and two others were really fired because Angels discovered they were members of the Union.  

Despite scandal and breaches of health regulations the Moana Cafe continued to be patronised by Perth’s ‘best society’.  Organisations like the Young Australia League hosted an American boys tour in August 1909 with a formal reception at the Moana Cafe. 

SAUL EPSTEIN 1914 –1937

“Everyone Who’s Anyone Goes to Moana Cafe!” Saul Epstein”       

Saul Epstein, a proud Jewish man of Polish descent became the second colourful proprietor of the Moana cafe. He migrated to Kalgoorlie in 1900 and moved to Perth, taking leasehold of Moana Chambers in March 1914, and with his customary cigar, became a landmark presiding over Perth’s nightlife.  

Epstein was often in trouble with the law. He was charged with the Illegal sale of alcohol after being caught in a midnight raid with hundreds of bottles of German Lager and in March 1916 he pleaded guilty to selling alcohol outside of trading hours and his Liquor Licence was suspended. In June he was again found guilty of possession of liquor without a licence.  

Despite his application being opposed by Police due to his two previous convictions, Epstein was supported by powerful patrons, and his Liquor License application was granted unopposed in December 1916. 

Epstein used brazen stunts to maximise advertising. In December 1916 he encouraged racing car driver Charles Lewis, who had just smashed the speed record from Albany to Armadale, to leave his racer outside the cafe, where a big crowd gathered, in the busiest time of day, much to the annoyance of police who charged Lewis.

‘THE MOANA FOLLIES

Perth got a glimpse of a new form of entertainment last night when Miss Irene Bingham introduced her Moana Follies and cabaret at the Moana. The entertainment is on the latest American cabaret lines and in addition to an attractive orchestra and novelties included are some dainty vaudeville offerings and six clever dancing girls under the direction of Miss Bingham.’