Mr Espresso Timeline - Veni's blurb
The Concept of Westfields = inverse relationship to coffee quality?
At this stage, Harry and myself recognised that to best service our customers, we possibly needed to open in Westfield Eastgardens or Westfield Miranda. These were
serious retailing precincts in the promised land. What to do?
January 2009 - planting the beans
Mascot was THE gateway to the South. We looked, we waited and kept waiting for the right opportunity.
One day it came in the form of a corner location where a 50 year old clock shop used to be - (I still have the clock!)
It was our first store under our new group and it was one where we had a ball. Building it was a blast.
Opening day was incredible - I remember looking at the line of people waiting for the doors to open which had now swelled into the hundreds and a tear rolled down my eye. Were we really that special to everyone? Was Mr Espresso making a difference? It seemed to me that the opening day
provided my answer.
January 2008 - Bring on Harry
I knew Harry for a long time. Why did I decide to do this, because he was passionate, hands on and could help me lift the Mr Espresso (acronym now ME) experience to a a world class level.
How?? Well for starters he knew machines, he knew suppliers, he knew how to construct and build. And he was a hard worker in an industry where he had been working for the last 11 years in a large coffee company. My first supplier of coffee actually, Piazza Doro. We were ready for lift off. More was to come in the Promised Land and our final CBD store was about to be sold also.
October 2007 - Welcome Ramsgate
Again the doubters were out in force - no one has ever made it work here. The shopping strip is dead. The store is too small.
Well, we proved you can make it work with now less than a 30 sqm store and sell all our foods as well as whole bean. We didn't need any more space.
It was a success overnight..... Our bet that this was the great Southern land was proving true.
July 2007 - January 2008 - The Promised Land
We had now set course on a path that we had to stick to. It was fitting that our stores were now beginning to concentrate around the South East. This was fertile ground - no one else was paying attention.
Scores and scores of bean lovers screaming for great espresso and yet nothing. This is where Mr Espresso could make some ground and get the coffee to the people. Bring some smiles to the faces of frustrated customers.
This is what we had pioneered in 1998 in Darlinghurst - giving great coffee, every day to the everyday person. To make this happen there had to be some further orchestrated changes.
June 2007 - Some real change is needed
Sometimes you need to make some real changes to shape the future. In June 2007, we decided to move away from our roots and leave Darlinghurst once and for all with the sale of Liverpool Street and Wentworth Avenue to Il Espresso.
Years had been spent on those streets - impacting our communities, battling the rain and winds and honing our skills and offering for the future.
This was a holy area for us - where it all began. But our vision was now greater than just holding onto the past. We had to grow and move forward. And we felt that we needed some strategic changes that
would give us the time and space to "create a positive world with Espresso".
Bring on the promised land....
CHAPTER 4 - Our mission to create an espresso culture takes shape
October 2006 – Mr American Expresso
In August 2006, we were thrilled to hear the news that we were awarded the location to trade at the new American Building at 60 Union Street Pyrmont. Open on 1 December 2006 and trading 7 days a week – at last we can share our excitement of espresso with the residents, workers and Coles shoppers of Pyrmont. Did we mention our trolley holders for our cups?? They have been in storage for 7 years. Now we can put dust them off and put them to use…..
2005 - Mr Espresso Kitchen
On July 2005, we took the bold step of completing our in-house kitchen at Botany to meticulously control the quality of our food. We figured that only in this way could we carefully control the growth of our espresso bars and offer the ultimate experiences that we became known for.
The creation of an an Espresso Culture took shape. With people’s attitudes to health, to equality and to fair trade changing, espresso has the ability to grow communities, redistribute wealth to the poorer producing countries, as well as give to us that little luxury – that joy that makes the world worth living in.
If we keep growing by staying true to our beans, staying small in our principles and sharing the finest espresso with as many people as possible, then we are truly contributing to an Espresso World.
CHAPTER 3 - Can the Real Mr Espresso please step up
May 2003 - We finally secure a stable location.
A corner shop up the road from 10 Wentworth Avenue but just behind our original location at 1 Oxford Street eventually came up for lease. It had a great aspect and it was indoor. It was at this stage that we made the decision that Mr Espresso was much more than just coffee carts. With the help of a dedicated team, Mr Espresso was ready to move to another level.
We were now boldly reaching for our potential by doing breakfast and lunch as well as merchandising our own coffee, espresso machines and accessories.
In February 2004 we sold out of the Pitt Street Coffee Cart and Opened our second Indoor Mr Espresso Bar at 3/150 Liverpool St East Sydney – Literally across the road from 1 Oxford Street. For some strange reason, it was like we were going round in circles – a sense of dejavu, but by the same token we were still moving forward.
We think we have now found our calling….along the way you need to reinvent yourself and we did just that. Probably out of necessity, otherwise Mr Espresso could have been another espresso bar that came and went.
Our Experience grows
Following the sale of the Sydney Marriott Hotel coffee cart, our story continues with another coffee cart at 30 Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD, working with another Marriott Hotel. During the time it took to open up with the usual council knockbacks, we operated the Hotel’s espresso bar and lounge area. We definitely gained some valuable experience, which would prove to be the catalyst for our future outlets. We eventually opened in November 2002, popular as ever with the espresso pouring sweetly, even though we were very exposed to the elements. But we managed and made many friends along the way.
CHAPTER 2
2000 – 2005… some commentary
5 espresso years is a long time. The first 2 years was an amazing time in the Making of Mr Espresso. Since then the coffee cart at the Sydney Marriott Hotel was sold and the Wemyss Auction House closed down. But, somehow in the midst of all this change, Mr Espresso has a knack for keeping the ball rolling on and we’d like to think we have improved along the way.
Although most of the original team has gone (I am still at least here), the principals and foundations of a team of people who adore espresso, have continued and strengthened.
The espresso landscape has literally changed since our inception. Sydney has produced a world espresso champion, and holds up to being one of the best cities of espresso in the world. So, above producing fine espresso, we have had to evolve and anticipate the changing needs of our customers.
CHAPTER 1
Today….Tomorrow – An Espresso Community
Our story is a common one. Of small business with big dreams pushed around by big business, big dollars and big marketing. At the same time, our story is also one where everyone, team members, friends and customers have provided overwhelming support, echoing the fact that espresso is more than just a dark beverage in a cup. It is community, it is our little luxury every day and at heart it is taken very seriously by each and every one of us.
15th August 2000 - MRESPRESSO.COM.AU hits cyberspace
Equipped with an online store, coffee history, tips on brewing coffee at home, as well as a notice board of the world’s greatest espresso bars and cafes, Mr Espresso was now accessible 24 hours a day.
8 May 2000 - Launch of Mr Espresso Take Home Coffee
It was always our dream to provide our existing customers with superior coffee for use in their homes or office. The challenge was keeping the coffee fresh, which was achieved through the use of ziplock packaging, as well as educating our customers on how to prepare the coffee at home. Additionally, we wanted to keep the choices simple and hence the development of our "times of the day" coffees , Morning, Midday and Evening Blends.
April 2000 - "COFFEE TALK" hits the stands
The first edition of ‘Coffee Talk" hits the stands, our newsletter for our customers and friends providing news, views and opinions.
24 January 2000 - Relocation to Wemyss Fine Art Auction House
A charming fine art auction house located around the corner at 10 Wentworth Avenue Darlinghurst was our next destination. Possessing a unique atmosphere and great people we soon realised that we could still serve up our espresso in the near vicinity of our existing customers, whilst also having an opportunity of being transformed into an indoor espresso bar. On 24 January 2000, the first Mr Espresso indoor bar was born, complete with tables and chairs, raisin toast for breakfast and lunchtime sandwiches.
December 24 1999 - A second and final eviction notice
In the space of 6 months, Mr Espresso was now serving up espresso at 2 locations. However, this was short lived with a final notice to vacate the premises at 1 Oxford Street, served on Christmas Eve. As much as we saw it coming and tried everything to stay, it was a sad day. It was also the beginning of something new.
July 1999 - A new espresso bar at the Sydney Marriott Hotel
Our loyal customers had saved us for now. In the meantime, we had also received many offers by surrounding businesses to join them, one of them being the Sydney Marriott Hotel. In July 1999, Mr Espresso begins trading an additional outdoor espresso bar at the Sydney Marriott Hotel. The atmosphere was great and with the right people it was soon a popular venue. A serious location for serious espresso coffee lovers.
February 1999 - Hard times strike with our landlord issuing an eviction notice
Facing imminent unemployment we briskly set out to find an alternative location in the near vicinity. Along the way, our valued customers come to the rescue organising petitions and displaying overwhelming support. This convinces our landlord to keep us on (for the time being) at 1 Oxford Street. Proof that there is no better catalyst for community, as great espresso coffee.
April 1998 - Mr Espresso is Born
Mr Espresso is born and begins trading at 1 Oxford St Darlinghurst. Life is wonderful with great espresso reaching the people of Sydney, even during the windiest of days.
