At Engaging Interiors Limited we are rather keen on cycling and in turn Cycling coffee shops. Like dog friendly coffee shops they are most at home when combined with another type of business. Generally the businesses they are attached to will have an obvious link, but not always. There are some stand alone Cycle coffee shops out there, but they are a more rare thing and have to be very well placed.
The cycle coffee shops of Sussex
As we are based in Sussex and have done a thorough survey of our local Cycle coffee shops we are going to base our journal on local venues. Our first offering has to be the first cycling coffee shop we went to as Dads on Hybrid bikes just finding out feet on rides of about 25 miles. This is the ‘village shop’ business model that is normally a happy accident rather than a considered attempt to make money out of M.A.M.I.L’s.
Fletching Village Stores
When we first started frequenting this place it was run by a man called Jason. He had the persona of All Murray and would even buy in the tea you liked as a way showing kindness to his regulars. The Fletching Village Stores has some functional requirements covered with a side alley for parking bikes safely and space out front for exterior seating. This is really where it stops as cycle coffee shops go except for the most important element. It is surrounded by beautiful country lanes with 5 different ways of approaching the village. The Stores have now been taken over and run by a collection of villagers and serves Fletching well. From an interiors point of view it looks like any regular (and well considered) village cafe / shop where as Jason had more cycling related decoration and products. What this does show though is that cyclist’s just need to be logistically taken care of and welcomed with good coffee.
Cadence – 6 sites around sussex
Cadence have opened 6 sites around Sussex in a very different way to the previous Cycling Coffee Shop. They create cycling a specific coffee experience by placing a converted shipping container in a generally well chosen cycling hot spot. This makes good business and environmental sense as if the site wasn’t to work out the shipping container can be moved and placed in a new location. Our local Cadence is the Littllington site. This site is based on a farm courtyard that is also the home of The Longman Brewery.
Proper Cycling & Coffee Shop
Proper Cycling & Coffee Shop is the most comprehensive offer, covering everything from bike sales to cycling holidays. The Cycling coffee shop aspect is also full width. There is bike parking that is covered by CCTV and the cafe is licensed with live acts. This is a great example of how cultivate and look after your local community. Being able to offer bike sales and repairs means the cafe customers are able to look at there next possible bike or upgrade whilst on a bike ride.
We are still hoping to add a Cycle coffee shop to our portfolio so if you are thinking of setting up your own cafe feel free to get in touch…