People gather in coffee shops and street-chic cafés for various reasons. For Cape Town entrepreneur Sebastian Daniels (25), they were a welcome refuge during a difficult time in his life. And they sparked the creation of a review website and Instagram account that is making waves, having recently scooped an entrepreneurs’ award. He tells us, over a cup of cortado, why the site Coffee Shop Blues is much more than just an online platform for luring people into coffee shops and why he is “relentlessly focused” on making it a success.
Why did you start Coffee Shop Blues?
While I was still at UCT, I ran a business called Yethu, a stokvel management application, which did very well. We won competitions, raised lots of money, banks were very interested – but we made stupid mistakes. We got too into being fintech rock stars, and forgot our customers, so it came crashing down. At the same time, a long-term relationship ended and my dad’s dementia was worsening. I was at my lowest of lows. I dealt with this by writing, in coffee shops. In writing, I found a connection with my dad: he reviewed breakfast spots in his Sunny Side Up column, so I started the Coffee Shop Blues website in his honour. But this was in the background for six months while I built a Khayelitsha stokvel data set for UCT and UWC professors. When that ended, I gave the website a full go. I went to almost 200 coffee shops and featured my 130 favourites – all quality places I’d recommend.
What makes these the best?
First, the coffee has to be up to scratch. I did two barista courses so I know the basics. Then, each coffee shop is independent, unique, not part of a chain. And finally, it has something special – a story, an atmosphere, beautiful art.
Favourite coffee?
I’ll go with a cortado. It gives you that creaminess with half the milk of a flat white.
Why do you think coffee culture is burgeoning in the CBD?
It’s driven by the variety of experience offered by independents. Franchises don’t offer that variety. Each coffee shop is totally different from the next. And Cape Town’s CBD is at the forefront of this hip-and-happening scene. At coffee shops, you’re talking about what you’re going to do, you're thinking about change, which is why I believe coffee shops will be at the forefront of a social revolution.
Would you like to own a coffee shop?
I would and I will. I’m changing the name of Coffee Shop Blues to Ground Culture because I want to create a movement with its own coffee shop as headquarters.
Do you make a living off your website?
After completing my consulting job, I was broke. Though my site grew to 50 visitors a day over six months, to make a living, you need 1 000 a day, so I needed to rethink my approach. But I had built relationships, and influence, with over 10 000 Instagram followers (@coffeeshop_blues), so I had something to stand on, to pivot from. I started looking for products to sell in coffee shops. I often hang out with my friends in Khayelitsha, and opportunities started coming my way. So now I help entrepreneurs from there to get their products into coffee shops. I’m trying to create an ecosystem of coffee shops supporting socially conscious products. So, by buying these products, you’re creating a more equal South Africa. I’m close to making a living now. I believe in relentless focus – I generally work 10 to 15 hours a day. I love it!
What are some of the products you’re placing?
“Ubusi”, the honey, is in about 20 coffee shops. I helped with the labelling, the logo, and the story behind the honey on the packaging. It’s important that people know where their products come from. I’m also finalising baked goods with a Khayelitsha bakery.
My focus is on entrepreneurs who don’t have backing, but I also work with well-resourced entrepreneurs who want to make a difference. One company is Suck at Straws, a glass straw with a little cleaner, started by a UCT student after seeing the trash on Indonesian beaches. I also distribute the world’s first biodegradable cigarettes, launched by my best friends. I’m not a fan of smoking, but plastic-lined stompies are the most prolific item of litter, and this filter is wood pulp.
Besides that, I started a barista competition to showcase talent. My videos of them pouring their best art on a flat white get 1 000 Instagram views and about 250 votes. Every two weeks, a winner is named, and I’m using my “Best Young South African Entrepreneur” award as a floating trophy until we get a prize going. I want it back!
Tell us about this latest award.
It’s a very nice title from the French South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the whole package, not specifically the website: using coffee shops as a storefront for socially conscious products, using Instagram to push sales to generate working capital, eventually aiming for the mass market. I’m building this ecosystem as a movement to stand up for the informal sector. It’s a struggle – it’s harder to drive something with others, than by yourself.
Sebastian’s pick of the CBD’s coffee shops (in no particular order)
1. New York Bagel – https://coffeeshopblues.co.za/new-york-bagel-harrington-street/
New York Bagel has some of the fastest, finest food in town. Their bagels are out of this world – without a doubt, the best in Cape Town and the best part is, they're not badly priced at all.
2. Swan Café – https://coffeeshopblues.co.za/swan-cafe-zonnebloem-coffeeshop-cape-town/
Swan Café is about as close as you get to a piece of Paris in Cape Town. It's got this romantic vintage feel about it that will put a step in your stride, whether you're on a date or you're pushing for a deadline.
3. Clarke's Diner – https://coffeeshopblues.co.za/clarkes-bree-street/
Clarke's is a classic city secret. It's located on Bree Street and feels like it's the home for town-based hipsters. It's got some amazing breakfast specials and there's plenty of space to work at the back.
4. City Bowl Health Kitchen – https://coffeeshopblues.co.za/city-bowl-health-kitchen-cape-town/
Feel like rubbing shoulders with parliamentary celebrities? Well, this is the place – a Latin-American style café serving some of the best salads in town. If you go on the right day, you may just find yourself sitting next to Mmusi Maimane (It's happened to me).
5. Lola's Eatery – https://coffeeshopblues.co.za/lolas-long-street/
Ever wondered what a Cape Town café felt like in the 1920s? Well Lola's Eatery is about as close as it gets, serving glass bottle cokes and coffees from their Long Street corner store. It's a great place for a boozy breakfast or lunch, sitting among the sounds of the city.
IMAGES: Scott Arendse