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