So how did it all start? Back in March of 2016 I was sat in a coffee shop in Vietnam of all places, with my husband, people watching from their large open windows onto the bustling streets of Hoi An, sipping my Ca Phe Sua Da from a beautifully etched coffee cup and thought"I want to do this". Yes, part of me meant that I wanted to sit and people watch in Vietnam for the rest of my life, but I meant, I wanted to open a coffee house... just like the one we were sat in. A coffee house where the staff find time to chat with you and the coffee is roasted locally, the decor is cosy and homely whilst not forgetting its roots and the menu is big enough to give everybody a choice without being overwhelming. Primarily our focus is great coffee, however we also offer speciality loose leaf teas, a luxury hot chocolate menu, cold pressed juices (which are all named after local influences) and we have lots of gluten free and dairy free options available.
My ethos is to support and trumpet local suppliers where possible. Our coffee is hand roasted in Cirencester by Rave and topped off with organic Cotteswold dairy whole milk. Our bakes come from the wonderful Sugar and Salt Bakehouse is Upper Rissington and brownies from Fair and Square in Swell. Our soups and savories come from Cotswold Larder and Cotswold Farmer and we have a "love local" retail shelf where you can buy anything from Cacklebean Eggs to Little Pickle condiments. There is so much more "local stuff" to discover inside so please come and see for yourselves.
An absolute must for me was a prime position where people could watch the world go by. 1 Talbot Court has 3 floors, with the ground floor dominated by 2 huge sash windows looking out onto the square (I can't wait to get those bad boys open in the summer) so when it came on the market I was sold immediately. We have the bottom and first floor open so if downstairs looks full please come on in and see if we can get you a seat upstairs. A lot of graft went into decorating the week before we opened by my husband, father in law, Dad and brother in law (I was out of action), to give the shop that cosy homely vibe I had envisioned. My Mum and her friend reupholstered 28 chairs and 3 bench seats, picked up and shopped for furniture from antique and charity shops. You will find Mum behind the counter with me during the week being generally amazing and picking up on everything I have forgotten to do or not thought of...thank goodness for Mums!
The logo was designed by the wonder Angie B who has designed everything from Meg's shop branding to my wedding invitations. She emphasized the "house" in coach house coffee as I had indicated that I wanted the space to feel homely. Hopefully you get the sense of this when you visit, in the decor, the flickering candles and the friendly service.
I am currently building a website which is going to have lots of exciting material, but for now we would love you to follow us Instagram (@coachhousecoffee) Facebook (@coachhousecoffeestow) and Twitter (@coachhousestow).
Hopefully see you soon!
Millie and The Coach House team x
P.s thank you to Ian Tonks for taking such brilliant photos of our little coffee house. Ian is a photographer in and around the Cotswolds and I couldn't recommend him enough... find him here.
