Claris making a dream come brew
For Claris Jones-White opening her own cafe was her ultimate goal. She shared her dreams and coffee with Nelson College for Girls filmmaker Maisie Blakeboroough
‘‘Do it, do it, do it, do it, do it. And do it in Nelson.’’
Claris Jones-White, passionate young business owner, whose talent and personality are expressed through her quirky cafe´ ‘7010 Your Local’ has always had a love of all things coffee and her home town Nelson.
Starting as a bartender at the age of 16 at a bustling cafe´ and bar, Claris has always dreamed of owning her own business. For years since, Claris has been living and breathing coffee, so when the opportunity arose for her to transition from barista, to business owner she jumped at the chance. Her home town Nelson provided the best place for her to do so.
Walking through the doors of 7010 for the first time, you are hit with the scent of coffee beans roasting and the sound of laughter and chatter.
The staff are welcoming and you’re drawn to the bright, beaming face of Claris. Passion and happiness spill out of her, and you can’t help but feel it too. Seeing Claris working in her cafe´, you can believe that this job was made for her. The way she chats with customers and brews rich coffee comes naturally to her, as if it’s second nature.
7010 is based in a historic building, one that Claris has always loved since living in Nelson as a child. Naturally, when she saw that it was on the market she knew that this was the perfect site to create the cafe´’s vibe that she had envisioned.
The building is imbued with history, as though many people have been here in the past and many more will experience the welcoming environment in the years to come. The building, modernised by Claris and her team, has provided her with the perfect location for her cafe´.
Looking out through the large windows, there is a view of the river that runs under the Collingwood Street Bridge. Sunlight streams through the windows and warms the cafe´ on a sunny day, while providing a warm, safe haven from the cold elements on a stormy, overcast day.
Waking up in the early hours of the morning before the rest of Nelson has come to life is no object for Claris. The excitement of opening the front doors of the cafe´, welcoming customers with hot drinks and chatting with regulars or meeting new people are extremely rewarding for her.
Having the opportunity to unleash her creative ideas and share her worldly knowledge with people while still ‘‘constantly learning from others’’ is what motivates Claris to continue to do what she loves.
Having previously travelled the world and worked in multiple different places, Claris has gained a lot of knowledge, and this can be observed on her food and drink, as well as the de´cor of 7010 Your Local. Claris loves the life of a business owner.
‘‘I live a day to day life that I’ve always wanted to live.’’
Everyday is a new adventure filled with new people and the ability to express her creativity.
Owning her own business has provided Claris with incredible opportunities that would otherwise not be available. She has had the chance to collaborate with other local businesses such as Pomeroys and has even been given the opportunity to create her own jewellery line called QC Jewels. QC Jewels ‘‘pays tribute to unforgettable tastes, memories, beauty, purity and rituals that our daily brew provides us with.’’
Claris’ passion for the little things in life has driven her to create this line of jewellery and start up her cafe´.
Claris continues to inspire young girls to roam outside of their comfort zones and dream big. She believes that people have amazing ideas for businesses, but often they don’t become more than a dream, for fear of failure. Claris is a big believer of doing what you love, and getting over the fear of what might happen, as the outcome may be better than what you could have ever imagined.