Starting Up with Trevor Bennett @ Organic Deli Cafe, Botley Road

The mission: convert a three-floored multi-functional organic cafe into a single-room community hub. Where to start?

Well, first of all, you pick a great community.

Botley Road is a booming residential area filled with the kindest people you could hope to meet, and the level of support and enthusiasm for the new minature Organic Deli Cafe has been extraordinary.

The atmosphere here, only 15 minutes away from our behemoth in Friars Entry, couldn't be more different.

The space is intimate and conversational. It's a handy rest point for dog walkers who need an espresso to help them finish that final panting mile (hopefully it's the dog doing the panting) or a home-from-home for mothers and fathers looking to have a rest, whilst their youngsters nibble on chunks of chocolate brownie.

We want to be the door that's always open for the local community, so we're open every day and through to 8pm (5pm on Sundays).

Handy if you're low on milk or bread. That's the next key to 'going local': providing excellent quality daily necessities.

The bread is delivered fresh every day from Degustibus bakery in Abingdon, whilst our organic fruit and veg lands in our inbox on Thursday mornings.

Gatineau provide our delicious croissants, our eggs are local and organic (both chicken and duck), Crudges Cheese provide the . . . well, the cheese, and our Papua New Guinea coffee beans pack a welcome, and flavoursome, punch.

We want our stock to reflect customer demand. For example, we would often receive requests for tahini.

Voila! Tahini has been added to our inventory.

We like to cater to personal requests. We stock many gluten-free alternatives to everyday items, but even then we know that sometimes something a bit more special is needed.

We can knock up gluten-free breads, lunches and cakes. Just pop us an email and let us know your needs.

We were determined not to have our second store feel like a chain outlet.

In fact, we would freely admit that this was the most terrifying aspect of opening a second store.

Investing in a second Organic Deli Cafe risked changing customers’ perception of the business, from a small, family-owned cafe into a larger brand.

There's no denying that we, as consumers, approach these two different types of establishment with varying expectations in mind.

It's important that the two stores offer something unique – even from each other.

We want this location to be a place of relaxation and recuperation, which is harder to achieve in the town centre.

The stores can work in tandem - one being a destination for cooked breakfasts and lunches, the other for coffee, cake and quiet.

Although the space in Botley is limited, it remains multi-functional. Just like at Friars Entry, the cafe can be reserved for meetings and clubs.

Fitting so much into a small store (including large staff) was a struggle. On busy days, a curious game of Twister is played behind the scenes as staff jockey for room to move.

The widening of the floor space, changes the room from the tight and cramped area it was before the acquisition into an open and breezy café.

Recently, whilst working at the new store, something strange and unexpected happened.

The sun came out.

Bright, brilliant sunbeams lit up the traffic along the road.

It was such a marvellous shift from the seemingly never-ending cloud cover that has plagued Oxford for what feels like the longest time.

Our outside tables have been woefully underused.

However, the moment the sun came out, our tables were finally in use.

It's extremely satisfying serving customers their macchiatos as they read their papers in the sun.

It's exactly the atmosphere we're chasing here. Warm, sunny, positive.

One of the greatest pleasures of opening in Botley is a chance to meet and talk to the residents.

We meet all sorts of people, from barristers to baristas, from school teachers to university students, mums, dads, grandparents and young’uns.

We hope to grow our relationship with our customers over time until we've become an established part of Botley’s landscape.

TRY IT
Organic Deli Cafe & Wholefoods Store, 61 Botley Road, Oxford.
organicwholefoods.co.uk 01865 364853