Coffee Shops

Terry's Story

Coffee shops and Deli's in London have risen in popularity in the last years, for those behind the counter they are a comfortable way of starting a business, an easy place where to get work experience and a straightforward place where to get a basic income while on the other side of it they are seen as a meeting point, a cheap place where to spend mornings and afternoons or just a nice place where to enjoy hot drinks.

Terry,43 owns a coffee shop\Deli store in Richmond West London, when asked about his business he had to say "I took over this business 5 years ago, Running a shop like this can be difficult sometimes but the revenue is worth it", he then continued by saying "Taking over this business was one of the best choices of my life,I can spend time with my family after I finish work and I don't get as tired as I used in my previous job"  before taking over the shop Terry worked as waiter for over 20 years and doesn't regret his choice of opening a small business.

When asked about the stress that owning a business implies, Terry had to say "it's true this job can get stressful, Sometimes the stock doesn't come out the right way, sometimes you can find picky clients but this is just how the world works, there are positive sides and negative sides in every kind of job".

Terry's business is family run but he also has two employers working for him  " I think coffee shops are the perfect way for young people to get started in the job industry, everyone can learn the skills required on site, my employers are college students and they work part time, working in a coffee shop is not as tiring as working in a restaurant" National statistics show that the average age of a coffee shop employer is 24 years old, with average wages that range from £8.5 up to £11.5.

When asked about his plans for the future he simply said that he is happy with what he has at the moment, and also encourages people with business plans in mind, to start from coffee shops because as small businesses they are more manageable and require less work and money to get started compared to restaurants or normal shops.