Lacquered Homewares and Specialty Coffee opened for business in the Courthouse Retail Centre in April this year.

It was a culmination of ten years of research that took business owners, Jason and Pauline Flanagan, into the heart of South East Asia to find products that offered "that unique blend of culture meets art".

Their search ended when they travelled to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

"We met a man who ran a small manufacturing business. He'd lived and studied in Australia for 20 years so there was no language barrier which made things easier for us." Jason said.

"But it was important that we gained their trust and built a good rapport with them before we started trading. A strong relationship in business is very important in the Vietnamese culture."

Jason, a former cabinet maker, is originally from Geelong in Victoria, and has been living in Cairns for the past 15 years.  So why the change of career? "After 25 years in the building industry it was time for a change. I'd lived in Japan and in Thailand and I thought this style of product was unique, especially to Australia." he said.

Speaking of the products, each bamboo piece has 15 to 20 coats of lacquer and takes three months to make. "They are incredibly durable and the surfaces can be polished so any small scratches come out." Jason said.

With a new shipment due in the next couple of weeks, get down to Lacquered and pick yourself up a piece that is not only practical, but will invariably be a talking point with guests.  Alternatively, visit their website and their online shop.