The Coffee Barrel

Derry Journal

Interview with the owner of the Coffee Barrel in Derry, Caolan Crampsie.

Transcript

01:00Now we're going to do the same thing on the other side.

01:27There we go.

01:42Could you just introduce yourself and tell me where we are today?

01:45My name's Cian and we're out at the Coffee Boil. It's located in the Millennium Road.

01:50And we're open now, around two months.

01:53And did you start this business yourself?

01:55Yeah, I started it myself.

01:57And can you tell me the journey from the start to where we are today?

02:00So this here used to be just a field.

02:03And my father, he did a lot of work and kind of got everything done in here.

02:08And it started just over a conversation I'd done with my girlfriend's father.

02:12And they had, the boil was, it made it over that time and it was sitting for a few years.

02:17And he said to me they only started a wee coffee business on it.

02:20So here we are now. It's great, isn't it?

02:22Tell me about the bar. Was that always here?

02:25No, it was actually located up where that bar is, sitting outside it.

02:30And we got it moved down here. It took a few years, a lot of work, but we got it down.

02:35And are you one of the only people working here or is there a staff here?

02:39Well, I'm open seven days a week, so we try to get one day off.

02:42So I would do six days myself.

02:44And I get about three hour staff to get in one day a week and just work.

02:51And I still be out here, I still come out and help out a little bit and stuff.

02:54What age are you?

02:56Twenty-two.

02:57So it's pretty young then, can you start a new business?

03:00You must feel a bit of pride about yourself.

03:02I do, I'm proud of myself.

03:04It's a lot of work, but it doesn't feel like work to me.

03:07Is it a passion project?

03:09It really is. I want to really expand, try to get barrels everywhere.

03:13Just work, I've always wanted to be a businessman.

03:16So I think now's a good opportunity to start and it's doing well.

03:20How do your parents or your family feel about it?

03:23Because obviously you're being quite young and having your own coffee business.

03:27Is that something impressive?

03:28They're buzzing, they're absolutely buzzing.

03:30My mum and dad are out all the time.

03:32And just even whenever they come up to pay and stuff, I try to be like,

03:35no, I'm not taking money off you.

03:37But they always pay every time and it's a good, good feeling.

03:40I can tell they're proud of me.

03:42Tell me a wee bit about the coffee.

03:44I'm obviously chopping myself and it's really nice.

03:46Can you tell me just a wee bit about it, where it comes from?

03:49It's called Causeway Coffee.

03:51It's located in Balmoney.

03:53And my cousin, he actually owns the company.

03:55They have about 11 or 12 hour coffees.

03:58And they're doing really well as well.

04:00But I used to actually work in markets with him.

04:03And I've always been into marketing and sales and everything.

04:05So it started from there where I got a passion for coffee.

04:08So I really love the brand Causeway Coffee.

04:11Maybe it's a bit biased, but it's really good coffee.

04:14And I was like, great.

04:16If I'm using anything, it's going to be that.

04:18So you could say the bar is kind of like a built-on family business.

04:23Is that how you tie it in?

04:24Definitely, just from working.

04:26Just different markets all over the coast.

04:28Every weekend, I remember I used to wake up at 5 or 6 in the morning.

04:31And get down and stand all day.

04:33Sometimes you make new sales, sometimes you do very well.

04:35But I really loved it.

04:37Just being around coffee, I loved it.

04:39As I can tell, it's a pretty fast project.

04:42And you said it's hard work.

04:44What's it like starting your own business as someone so young?

04:48Was it daunting? Did you start really nervous?

04:50I was really nervous.

04:52Everyone was saying they don't know about this spot.

04:54If it's going to work.

04:56But in my head, I always knew it was going to work.

04:59And it is.

05:01But people don't realise if you're serving something good.

05:04And offering good service.

05:06People are going to come and travel for it.

05:08But I was nervous.

05:10And it saved up money.

05:12It was saving up for years.

05:14So here we are.

05:16I just went for it.

05:18A lot of people say, I want to do this, I want to do that.

05:20And they put it off.

05:22But I just went for it.

05:24Has the location affected at all?

05:28No, not at all.

05:30I think you're here, it's a nice little piece of air.

05:32Somewhere different.

05:34I know you get the bad weather.

05:36It's hard.

05:38Some people go to a coffee shop, which is understandable.

05:40But that's why I have the poles and stuff here.

05:42To offer people seating.

05:44It would be very different if we didn't have seating.

05:46But I think it makes it.

05:48Do you think it's a short wee trip?

05:50For people in the city?

05:52Go ahead out there, get into the coffee world.

05:54Enjoy your coffee out there.

05:56It's not as difficult as this.

05:58Definitely, it's nice.

06:00You're sitting in nature, a lot of people like it.

06:02It's not that far here.

06:04You have a lot of signage.

06:06I'm happy with it.

06:08Can you tell me how your life has changed since you started?

06:10I'm way more busy.

06:12Working every single day.

06:16Just trying to manage my money better.

06:20Everything comes into business.

06:22You just have to keep slowing.

06:24Every day you're doing a stock check.

06:26Making sure everything is running right.

06:28That's it.

06:30What do you think the coffee world needs now?

06:34Coffee.

06:36Coffee.

06:38Coffee and fresh bakes.

06:40Eventually I want to get up to doing a set of heat bowls.

06:42And maybe some sandwiches.

06:46That's me working towards that.

06:48My next goal now would be to get the electric hooked up.

06:52What were your expectations at the start of making the business?

06:56How have they changed over time?

06:58At the start I was kind of...

07:00In my head I was like...

07:02I'll just do alright.

07:04I'll maybe dug a few customers on.

07:06Here and there.

07:08But every day...

07:10You still get your quiet days.

07:12I wouldn't be as busy if it wasn't like that.

07:14Weekends especially.

07:16You're very busy.

07:18During the week it's ok.

07:20I'm very happy with it.

07:22A lot of customers.

07:24I'm getting a lot of pride and passion from this.

07:28What are you hoping to see from the bar in the future?

07:30Do you know you'd like to get more right there?

07:32Aye.

07:34I'll have one year uni left.

07:36And hopefully now I'll get one sorted.

07:38And get one open up for next year when I finish uni.

07:40That's the goal.

07:42Obviously if I'm not ready I'm not going to do it.

07:44But my goal is to expand.

07:46And just keep putting them everywhere.

07:48Looking at a franchise.

07:50Class.

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