Inflation and Chasers nightclub owner-turned-mask and hand sanitiser supplier Martha Tsamis has always been a gutsy busy woman. From providing masks to standing for local council elections, and from taking on the state of Victoria (and winning) when police brutality was displayed in her nightclub to taking on COVID-19, we caught up with her to see what she has been up to during lockdown.
What have you been reading?
What would Google do
What are you watching?
Designated survivor
What music are you listening to?
80s
What are you cooking?
I am lucky that my partner Phil does a lot of the cooking at home and he makes a great lamb casserole! When I am at work I mainly rely on take away. I do miss not being able to eat in at my favourite Mediterranean restaurants in and around Chapel Street. Keeping it local.
READ MORE: Tsamis family’s all-Aussie hand-sanitisers taken up across the nation
What is keeping you sane at the moment?
Keeping busy keeps me sane. I am lucky I was able to quickly exploit a new business opportunity which – ironically – is now able to provide masks, hand sanitisers, PPE, etc to satisfy strong demand from a diverse range of businesses and government providers.
What is work like for you now?
I am very lucky to have been able to adapt to the new business opportunity. Without this I would have been financially devastated. I have no idea when and if bars and nightclubs can ever open again in Melbourne. It certainly won’t be by many of the current operators who have sadly lost their livelihoods.
What’s something positive you’ve witnessed or experienced since COVID-19 entered our lives?
Just the way people are willing to help those less fortunate, and be patient during these difficult times. Also, the way that most people are willing to adapt and adhere to the new lockdown rules. I was particularly impressed by the way the largely ethnic residents of the public housing towers responded when they were suddenly totally locked down.
What have you learned about yourself during COVID-19?
Running two nightclubs is difficult at the best of the times, and I have been in the hospitality industry for most of my working life, so I am proud of the way I have been able to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. I didn’t realise I could be so resilient.
Where’s the first place you’d like to visit in Greece once travel is allowed?
Nafpaktos my home town