‘It’s the local support that will see us through this pandemic’

Suzanne Gardiner opened “The Coffee Shop” in Moynalty in the middle of a recession ten years ago, today she battling through a pandemic but says it’s local support that will see her through.

Since Level Five lockdown came into play ‘The Coffee Shop’, a restaurant offering homemade meals, baked goods and top quality coffee has been operating a take out service that has been a huge success according to Suzanne who said:

“When we introduced our take out menu business went bananas.

“We are now doing family sized meals reasonably priced but when people are in collecting it they are also getting cakes and scones.

“We have everything from breakfasts, pancakes and eggs benedict to soups, sandwiches, lasagnes, quiches, omelettes and homemade desserts.

“People are fed up at home now but rather than going for their takeaway on a Saturday night, they are ordering a homemade curry here.

“We are busy thank God, it is paying the bills and keeping us open until we do get back to normal.

“Moynalty is a great little community for supporting businesses, they always will support me.

“We have the same people in day in and day out, I have found that a lot of them are spending local this year, more so than any other year.”

Suzanne is also offering mouth watering Christmas hampers, everything in them she makes from scratch.

“We have always done homemade preserves, chutneys, Christmas cakes and Christmas puddings.

“I would have always traded at local fairs but because none of them are going ahead this year, I’ve removed the tables and chairs here and can set up the tables in here for my own little fair.

The Moynalty business woman is looking forward to welcoming her customers back through her doors again as she explains:

“People are sitting in their cars eating their food which is kind of sad even the running club are standing in the alley way eating their scones and tea outside in the cold.

“It’s very sad that can’t sit in but hopefully we will be up and running again soon.”

Suzanne celebrated ten years in business on 21st October and having opened smack bang in the middle of a recession, she won’t let the small issue of a global pandemic get the better of her.

“I opened in October 2010 in the middle of a recession, people were saying to me, you are nuts you are never going to survive but here we are ten years later, thanks to everyone who supported us and no doubt they will get us through again.”