Owner shut cafe to put family first

DESPITE overcoming the challenges of opening FIKA Dundee during the pandemic, owner Charlotte Kay has decided to step away from the hospitality industry for now.

After launching the café in October 2020, Charlotte found out she was pregnant with her first child in November.

Her decision to close the venue eventually arose after months of ill health after catching Covid twice.

She has also experienced the pressures of juggling her business and motherhood and feels stepping away is the best thing for her family and her health.

The venue officially closed at the end of May and is currently on the market for £15,000, with Charlotte currently looking for a new owner .

The 34-year-old said: “I’ve had Covid twice in the past couple months and my health has deteriorated. Priorities change. My number one priority is now my baby and second is my health.”

Available for leasehold, Charlotte invested £15k into the Perth Road venue and the three staff who were employed at FIKA Dundee have moved on.

She has had a few inquiries for the business but is yet to find someone to take on the tenancy.

The café seats 12 and contains a counterspace with a prep kitchen behind it.

A coffee machine, coffee grinder and smoothie maker are included in the sale and the venue also has a small oven for in-house baking and extractor for cooking hot food.

Prior to closing, FIKA Dundee offered a mixture of soups and sandwiches and made daily bakes to serve alongside its coffee and smoothies. Charlotte was focused on boasting only high-quality food and drink with its premium blend of coffee coming from the Bean Shop in Perth.

She also took a healthier approach to its food menu and ensured the sandwiches selection and the other dishes it offered boasted vegan options to suit all lifestyle choices.

Additionally, all the bakes offered had gluten-free and vegan alternatives and the café charged the same prices for plant milk and any other dietary requirements.

Charlotte said: “I wanted to help people out, that is what FIKA was all about.”

For Charlotte, this is not the end of her hospitality career. She said: “My plan for the immediate future is to rest, get better, and if there is something wrong to figure that out and get it fixed.

“I would definitely like to have a venue in the future, but I just need to focus on getting better.”

She posted on Facebook that FIKA 2.0 could be on the cards when her child/children are at school and she would have more time on her hands.

Charlotte also thanked her supporters and left a reminder for them to dwell over whenever in a predicament like hers.

The post read: “Remember folks – you are number one, always look after yourself”.

Charlotte Kay built up FIKA Dundee but is now looking for a buyer after she suffered health problems and also found she was pregnant.