But first, coffee
Me and Angharad have always had a shared love for coffee. It was actually in a little coffee shop in Nottingham where we first met. Despite her drink of choice being a green tea, which later materialised into a hot milk and vanilla, going out for a coffee became our new hobby outside of football. Fast forward 7 years, we are happily married and hoping to turn our passion into a successful business project.
‘Going for a coffee’ has always been more than a quick caffeine fix for us. Often it actually has the reverse effect. Our local coffee shops have been a place of comfort and reflection and a chance to slow down. Especially during times of high pressure throughout the course of the season.
We try to find new independent coffee shops in cities that we visit. Through football, we have been lucky enough to travel to some amazing places. Angharad is the planner, she is usually the one on Instagram researching our routes. Most of the time we coincide a coffee with a dog walk so we have a soft spot for dog friendly cafes. Betsy, our little cockapoo, loves coming out for a puppuccino too. As well as being dog friendly, we love coffee shops that have a bit of character. Our favourites are those little gems that go against the grain. Finally and probably most importantly, our favourite coffee shops are the ones that make you feel most at home. Coffee shops that feel too pretentious or judgemental are not our vibe.
These influences have helped us create the framework for two sides. Our vision for Otis, the campervan, was based around a coffee shop we would love, in the hope that others would love it too.