Couple grasp opportunity amidst an uncertain time for business
WHILE many businesses are contemplating a bleak future in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and some might not open their doors again, the entrepreneurial traits of one Enniscorthy couple has led to them opening a new business.
Conor Swaine and his wife, Paula, have opened the Btwenty7 cafe beside the Bus Stop Shop on Templeshannon Quay.
Conor said starting his own business was something he always wanted to do, having been inspired by his parents who took over the Bus Stop Shop in 1995.
‘They always did their own baking and had the deli counter,’ said Conor, who is known throughout the county through his involvement with the Wexford senior football panel.
He studied engineering in DIT and Carlow IT and worked on Donohoe’s garage during the summer holidays.
However, for the last ten years, he worked in the shop and, through that, realised that people waiting for the bus don’t have anywhere comfortable to wait.
‘I would have seen people waiting for the bus looking for a place to sit down,’ he said.
‘I thought there could be an opportunity to open a cafe where people could come in and relax while waiting for the bus as well as, obviously, for the people of the town as well,’ he added.
The inspiration for the slightly unusual name came from the couple’s son, Bobby Leigh, whose birthday is on April 27.
Conor’s father, Ralph, was a butcher but gave that up when he and his wife, Anne, decide to take over the Bus Stop Shop.
‘They started a bakery and then he stopped being a butcher and they supply other shops in Enniscorthy, Bunclody and Carnew,’ said
Conor.
While the bakery part of the business was originally done from home, his parents expanded the shop and the bakery was then moved ‘in-house’.
‘I always wanted to start my own business after seeing them do it,’ said Conor.
Paula, who is an architect by profession but now works for the CSO, designed the layout for the Btwenty7 cafe and the family also developed the logo for the business.
The cafe operates a takeaway service at present and is getting ready to be able to open up properly in line with Government guidelines.
Conor is very grateful for the support the business has received from family members, friends and people within the community.
He has also received a lot of support from his friends and colleagues on the Wexford squad and the Horeswood football team.
He also praised all of the staff who he said are brilliant to work with.
A significant aspect of the business is that it brews its own brand of coffee.
‘We just wanted to create our own coffee brand,’ said Conor.
When everything settles back to normal there will be an official opening function in the cafe.