Many characters from those days make appearances within its pages.

It also provides an interesting insight into how Goulburn has changed over those years.

Mr Stamatellis’ writings are known to many already through his blog Beyond the Blue Divide.

Many of these writings have been about the hospitality industry, which Phil has been involved in since he was a young boy.

As the title of the book suggests, Phil grew in a cafe - upstairs in the Radnor Cafe, which was located in Auburn St, where the Park Cafe is today.

He says the book came about following his anecdotes about the hospitality industry on his blog.

“The blog got a good response. The stories impressed Julian Davies, one of the principals of Finlay Lloyd Publishers, who distribute to about 40 independent bookstores,” Mr Stamatellis said.

They asked Mr Stamatellis to produce a longer piece for inclusion in the ‘Smalls’ series of books, which they publish.

“I set the present stories at the Park Café. It is as much a biography of a café as it is the memories of a small boy,” Mr Stamatellis said.

“I have been tinkering with the story for the last 18 months. I didn’t want it to seem like a bunch of anecdotes strung together, which these things can become, so it blends the present and the past.

“And everything in it is true, but being memoir there is some licence – it is a subjective memoir.”

The book is an autobiography of both the café and himself – from about the age of seven to 16, from the 1970s through to the mid 1980s.

“The Radnor never closed. We sold it in 1984. In 1988, our family opened Danny’s Brasserie. The Greek sub-culture of Goulburn in those days - the migrant story - is a theme of the book,” he said.

The characters that grace the pages include ‘the shadow boxer’ - a man who used to stand in front of shop windows and spar with himself – as well as various inebriates that used to sit out the front of Belmore Park.

One hilarious episode involves one of these alcoholics copping a potato to the head, thrown from the Radnor’s upstairs flat by the author’s brother, Paul.

Former well-known jeweller Ange Zantis, Phil’s own hardworking family members, former proprietor of Con’s Fun Parlour, Con Tsakiris (Carey) and even local agitator Stuart Mawbey make appearances in the pages.

“I have tried to keep it entertaining. There are some darker moments in it too,” Mr Stamatellis said.

“Consciously or not – it is a juxtaposition of life today versus the 1970s and 80s.

“To me the 1970s seemed much more affluent than life today. I flash back to the 1970s late night shopping in Goulburn.

“The streets seemed so much more full of life then - but nostalgia is a big bastard file that scrapes off all the rough edges of memory. The reality is - it was probably shit.

“I have some really good and bad memories of that period of time – I don’t put those bad memories in, but I allude to them. People will learn more about me as a person from reading them.

“It is also just a bunch of good yarns and people can get whatever they want out of them.”

Mr Stamatellis said writing the book was an enjoyable process.

“I found it quite cathartic. I have had it described to me as whimsical and nostalgic. Nostalgia runs through the book,” he said.

The book is being launched at 2pm on September 12 by John Clanchy at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery. Mr Stamatellis is in some fine company for the launch - with other writers including comedian Paul McDermott, Carmel Bird, Timothy Morrell and Cassandra Atherton in the current run of smalls.

Some of the authors will be doing short readings and signing books on the day.

Food and wine will also be served. After the launch, his book will be stocked at Something Special. For $10, it is a great little read.

“I just want it to be read. It is not a money making exercise. It is a small book, but people these days are time poor, so they can stick the book in their purse or satchel and read it over a coffee, while they are having a break,” he said.

For more information contact Mr Stamatellis via pstamatellis1968@ gmail.com.

To attend the book launch - please RSVP by Wednesday September 9 to artgallery@ goulburn.nsw.gov.au