This month marks 20 years of serving up espresso at 67 Broadway Market. When we first opened our doors, a flat white was the hot new drink on the scene, the average person had never heard of specialty coffee and the Climpsons logo looked like it might have been designed on Microsoft Paint. It was a simpler time.
To mark 20 years of giving a sh*t about coffee and the people in our community, Owner Ian, Managing Director Nicole, Commercial Director Danny and Cafe Manager Joel have compiled a list of the most important lessons we’ve learnt in two decades of doing business with a conscience. Read on.
But didn’t you already celebrate your 20th birthday?
Yes. Back in 2022 we marked 20 years of Climpsons. Our humble beginnings, Climpsons began as a market stall in 2002 when Ian, fresh back from 5 years of drinking excellent coffee in Australia wanted to bring the same experience to coffee-poor Londoners. Ian says:
“All I wanted was to create a place where I could sit outside in the sun and drink a great coffee. I had no idea what would come next and what myself and my team along the way would create 20 years on.”
After success on the market circuit, in 2005 an opportunity came up to take on a permanent shop on Broadway Market. A retired butchers by the name of Climpson & Sons. We adopted the name and the rest, well you can read the story here.
The Coffee
1. Source excellent tasting coffee
Opening a coffee shop, the foundation is obviously going to be the coffee. You can have everything else right - but if the coffee doesn’t taste good your customers are never going to come back. Simple.
For us, this has always begun with where we source our coffee from. In the early 2000s, fairtrade and organic certifications introduced coffee lovers to a more ethical approach to sourcing beans. This laid the foundations for the quality-focussed approach of the burgeoning specialty industry to really take off.
Over the last 20 years we’ve worked with producing partners across the world - from our longstanding partnership with Daterra in Minas Gerais, Brazil, to working with emerging producers like family-owned Sirinya in Northern Thailand.
One thing all of these producers have in common is that they are committed to quality. That means attention to detail from propagation to processing and skilled employees at every step of the process. In turn, we are committed to roasting and brewing these exceptional coffees to the exceptional quality they deserve.
This means that a coffee from our shop will always taste great. And taste even better knowing the investment in ethical sourcing that has gone on behind the scenes.
2. And know exactly where your coffee comes from
In the 20 years since we opened the cafe, our sourcing process has become more precise. With this improved traceability, we have forged lasting friendships with some of the industry’s leading producers, to the point where much of our menu is now a familiar cast of returning farm names and faces.
Nowhere is this more true than in our Broadway Blend, the house espresso that you enjoy daily in our flat whites, lattes and cappuccinos. 
Nicole explains what the Broadway Blend is all about:
“Our Broadway Blend is a showcase of all our favourite coffees, curated to make the ultimate flat white at our cafe on Broadway Market. This coffee exists so we can work with coffee producers to buy slightly higher volumes and showcase their fresh crop coffees for everyone to enjoy.”
Through the seasons you’ll see a rotating selection of coffees in the Broadway Blend. Favourites include coffees from the Salaverria family in El Salvador, COMSA Cooperative in Honduras and Bruno De Souza in Brazil.
3. Roast it yourself
This leads on to a key part of our cafe’s business model - roasting our own coffee. While this doesn’t work for every business, for us it’s been the foundation of what we do.
Ian started roasting in his garage in 2002 before moving his 3kg Whitmee roaster behind a sofa shop where neighbourhood deli La Bouche sits now, allowing him to be closer to his new cafe. We got more serious in Broadway Mews in 2006, investing in a 15kg Toper that allowed us to roast for our own cafe, as well as beginning to roast for our very early wholesale accounts. Our scale of production has grown from there and we now operate a 4000sq ft SALSA accredited production space in Leyton with a 35Kg and 70Kg Loring Smartroaster.
In 20 years it went from a freewheeling give it a go, to a serious business. Ian says:
“Roasting coffee was a natural way to take full control of the whole process. We only used to sell beans on our market stalls in those days. Roasting myself allowed me to rotate origins weekly and play around with creating blends, all while keeping the coffee proper fresh.”
And this control in production continues to this day. For example, we will always roast the components of our Broadway Blend as separate batches which are then blended post-roast. The reason for this? Each coffee will vary in size, density and moisture content and therefore behave differently in the roaster itself. To roast these separately means we can tailor the roast profile of each to match a similar solubility, colour and balance how these are extracted.
4. Consistency is key
We love a good recipe. Whether this is for our espresso or filter coffees, we will taste and test our recipes each day and adjust according to fluctuations in roast profiles and dates to weather conditions.
Once this recipe is set we run our espresso shots within a 4 second window. We stick to the recipe. And if a shot pours outside of this window, you will not be served it.
It’s this precision that means our coffee is always consistently tasty. The goal is always to make the best flat white you’ve ever had.
5. Make your service speedy with an intuitive workflow
Working as a barista is like a dance. It can feel like you have 10 arms when it all runs smoothly. It requires teamwork, communication and an intelligent workflow that supports speed, without compromising on quality.
Cafe Manager Joel explains,
“We focus a lot on making sure we work as smoothly and efficiently as possible, especially during the busiest times. We want to make sure you get your drinks quickly, but also to ensure the quality is consistent too. Each team member has a station (pulling shots, steaming milk, on the till) which we rotate throughout the day to keep the energy levels high and to make sure everyone is doing a bit of everything.”
Since 2020 our cafe has operated ‘through the hatch’, allowing us to offer an even speedier service for our customers on the go. Our busiest hours are in the morning rush to work, Broadway Market being a key commuter route from Hackney to the City. With a functional workflow, we’re able to serve coffees in record time.
One thing our baristas have in common? Besides their obvious charm, they can all consistently make good coffee, at speed.
6. Invest in the best equipment
In 20 years, we’ve seen serious evolution in coffee machine technology. We use a whole host of equipment to keep our cafe service running, from batch brewers to grinders of all shapes and sizes. Over the years, we’ve always invested in the best kit that can continue to make our service faster (... and save our baristas from repetitive strain injury too!)
Our first machine was a 3 group La Marzocco, purchased by Ian from a now closed down chain called Benjy’s. We still rock one now, albeit the latest model.
Danny reflects on what’s changed in the equipment world:
“Coffee geeks love a gadget! Each turn of equipment evolution brings (or promises) more precision, slicker workflow and tech integration. Starting out as a barista in 1996, I came from the manual school of classical baristas - no scales, manual dosing, lever machines. It’s amazing to look back on what has changed over time but a good espresso machine always impresses for ease of functionality. La Marzocco have always delivered the sturdiest, most reliable espresso machines and having the privilege of visiting their factory over the years, the hand-crafted skill of the masters building them is reflected - the sense of a classic Italian sports car is never lost!
The integration of Puqpress and grind-by-weight grinders has been a no-brainer into every serious specialty cafe’s arsenal of tools. We all want to make the best version of the amazing coffees we use, but at speed, so the economics of those values drives the search for efficiency, combined with consistent precision. We also want to keep our jobs and see the advances on the coffee bar taking some steps toward full automation as less convincing than the current drive for better barista coffee via tech integration with our expert people!”
You can find out more about two decades of espresso machine evolution at our cafe here.
7. And look after your equipment too
There is no point in spending money on the best coffee equipment and not putting the time into its maintenance.
That means a non negotiable thorough end of day clean of the espresso machine, a strict rotation of coffee handles on the hour and a deep clean of the grinders once a week.
We’re fortunate to now have an in-house maintenance team who run annual services, PVI inspections and water filter replacements for our own equipment, as well as running around London looking after the equipment for our wholesale family too.
Danny explains:
“You start roasting coffee for yourself, then along comes a wholesale partner. Next you are supplying people all over town and they want to know what equipment to use and if you can install it for them. The Climpsons Technician Team is born. Usually self-taught, our team love to tinker and troubleshoot every conceivable problem, on the two machine brands we supply; La Marzocco and Conti.
We’ve built up a wealth of knowledge via these experiences over the years and have seen most scenarios, some inexplicable: the horror-fest under the machine that’s never been cleaned, the multi-thousand pound investment left running without water filtration to grow ghastly limescale behind its shiny facade. Generally though, and via our expert training team, our customers reflect a mindful ownership of their machines and grinders, sticking to maintenance cycles without too much disruption, and we keep accurate records of all ours and their equipment, sticking to strict annual PVI schedules and burr overhauls.
Our team is dedicated to the Climpson customer base and understands what makes them tick - we always stop to try the coffee and offer a tweak when needed!”
The People
8. Be nice to your regular customers
Our neighbourhood coffee shop is built on regular customers. You’re the ride and die Climpsons super fans who have woven our little shop into your daily lives. We like to think that you’re here everyday not just because of your caffeine addiction, but also because we give some value and joy to your day.
For Joel:
“Customer service is just as important as the quality of coffee we serve. We try to make the experience as friendly and relaxed as possible. We really appreciate that you all keep coming back. I’ve been here for over 7 years now and it’s amazing to see some of the same faces since the day I first started!”
While the Broadway Market tourists will come and go, it’s the regulars that will show up rain or shine. We’ve always made a point of not taking our regulars for granted; to not rush you, to take as much care on your 1000th coffee as your first, to try and remember your name and to ask how your new puppy is doing.
Working in a busy takeaway coffee shop, it’s all too easy to lose the personality from the experience. Seeing a regular friendly face means a lot to us, and we hope it means a lot to you too.
9. Get to know your neighbours
Broadway Market has always been a hub of interesting, quirky, independent shops and businesses so making friends with our neighbours has never been a chore.
Ian talks about our first neighbours on the street:
“When I first opened the cafe the street had a lot fewer shops open and a lot less people about, but I always remember my neighbours at the time. There was Spirit, who ran a Caribbean grocer, and Stephen Selby who ran a picture framing business. We used to chat, killing time waiting for customers to come into our shops. They were the real OG’s of Broadway market. Our customers were artists, Aussie’s and local mums with prams.
I’ll always remember one guy coming in and asking for a semi skimmed flat white. I had to explain to him that we only used whole milk because that’s the best way to drink it. He didn’t look happy but when I gave it to him and he took a sip he changed his mind and he came back every day. He’s been a regular customer up to this day. Now everytime I see him, he tells me how much money he has spent at my shop over 20 years.”
10. Partner with likeminded suppliers
As a wholesale supplier ourselves, we know how important a reliable supplier relationship is to the smooth running of any hospitality business.
We’re proud to source our breads and pastries from Dalston legends The Dusty Knuckle, our milk from regenerative dairy producers Northiam Dairy and our chocolate from transparent cacao growers Islands Chocolate.
Joel says:
“If we’re looking for new suppliers I always look for someone that works the way we do. Who want to provide a high quality product and really care about what they do. We’ve built a great relationship with a lot of our suppliers over the years, because we know exactly what we’re getting.”
11. Offer career progression for our baristas
Climpsons is now a team of nearly 50 people, with unique skill sets in everything from production to tech services to cafe management to marketing. And something that a lot of our team have in common is that they started their journey as baristas, often at our home on Broadway Market.
Working as a barista can lead down a rewarding and interesting career pathway. This could be in the science of roasting the coffee itself to the ways in which we connect these coffees to customers through admin, logistics, account management, training, sales and digital marketing. Engaging with our coffee as a barista is the first step to progressing in a career in the coffee industry.
On average, 5 people per year move roles within our business and we have at least 10 people working across our roastery and office that began their careers with us making coffee on Broadway Market. Interestingly, our team likes to stick around. The average employment at Climpsons is 3.5 years which is pretty impressive in the sometimes transient world of hospitality. We love having a team that’s worked with us for a long time, and knows the business (and coffee!) inside and out.
Find out more about what a career in coffee can look like and our career progression practices here.
12. Support your community
Our coffee shop is not a silo. It’s a place for our community to meet, gather and natter. We love our community and we choose to give back to local causes where we can. From offering raffle prizes for local schools to raising money for tree planting initiatives, we have always decided to use a portion of our profits to make an impact in our community and have worked with all three of our neighbouring primary schools in recent years. It’s the least we can do.
Each year we hold a collective fundraiser at the Hackney Half Marathon for Shelter alongside neighbouring London Fields businesses. Over the weekend, 10p from every coffee is donated to Shelter and you’ll see a team of Climpsons stomping the pavements for the cause. In a neighbourhood (and city) that has seen increasing street homelessness over the two decades we’ve been in operation, this is incredibly important to us.
13. Throw a party every now and then
It’s no secret, Climpsons throw a good party. Back in the day, Climpsons Arch became the hub for wannabe foodies in the area and built a somewhat legendary status for its parties.
Danny talks about the origins of Climpsons Arch:
“It was a gastronomic experience temple for chefs and punters, starting in the Olympic and Jubilee frenzy of 2012 and running another 4 years as a complement to our daytime activities (roasting and shipping coffee).
We learned a lot from the budding restaurateurs who graced our arch and many a party was had, with the backdrop of the coffee roastery embedding us as both an incubator of talent and the definition of pop-up restaurant became synonymous with our name.
Eventually we had to focus on the coffee full-time, until Covid changed the landscape and suddenly the indoor-outdoor space became an ideal “rule of 6” venue. Tomos Parry’s Brat residency has stayed ever since. For us, the idea of community around our crafts is vital, and we continue to bring guests and industry together in this space to celebrate and enjoy the fruits of our labours.”
Having recently received a permanent licence on Broadway Market, we can now serve our range of Midnight Oil Drinks at cafe pop-ups and late night shopping nights in the festive season.
The Business
14. Change with the times
Specialty has gone from niche to normal, and all the better for it we say.
This also means when once we were the only spot for a good coffee on the street, there’s now some seriously tasty competition. It’s never been more important to focus on quality, to continue to update our offering and to stay ahead of the curve.
Nicole’s perspective:
“Just because we have been in business for 20 years, does not mean we sit still. We are constantly looking at ways to up our quality, improve our customer experience and fundamentally, be a good business for people, the planet and to ensure an economically viable business. What keeps us going… we give a sh*t.”
This summer life officially turned matcha green, and luckily we were ready for the earthy revolution having already established ethically sourced matcha from Lalani on our menu. While we’re not one to blindly jump on trends, a degree of offering the customers what they want has kept our business relevant (and profitable).
15. Constantly review your offering, and your pricing too
Specialty coffee moves fast. And coffee pricing does not stand still either. As I’m sure you’ve noticed.
Danny explains the current situation:
“Not buying coffee isn’t an option, neither is turning our back on the quality product our producer friends grow every year in increasingly dire conditions. Climate change is apparent in the yields, erratic weather and rising supply-chain costs they endure.
Together we battle this predicament against a backdrop of domestic inflation, geopolitical escalation and a rapidly changing labour market. Thankfully our passions are aligned and our partnerships continue to thrive around the shared vision of bringing the best coffee to life from bean to cup, no matter the cost landscape.
As consumers we see prices rising for all “commodities” and hear the negative news feed. Believe most of what you hear, the crisis is real. Not just the cost, but the risk producers must undertake to get consistent income from growing coffee is scary. Show your support by continuing to enjoy this little luxury and the ritual of a daily cup of specialty coffee, acknowledging the unseen labour knowledge and resources that go into it.”
As a specialty coffee business, we pay more than commercial coffee shops for higher quality beans. This sustains the livelihoods, future growth and sustainable investment of our producing partners. Reviewing our pricing in line with the costs of our producers allows both them and us to continue in business. You can read more about the challenges around price increases and the value to be found in specialty coffee here.
16. Adapt to survive a global pandemic
Our shop changed in 2020. With social distancing measures in place, our small indoor space transformed into a through the window hatch.
With many other businesses temporarily closing, operating in a takeaway model allowed us to continue to make coffee, at a distance, keeping our barista team in work and our roastery operating with a minimal team. While the Daily Mail publicly declared Broadway Market the home of ‘covidiot hipsters’ we like to think we also became a beacon of familiarity in uncertain times for our locals and regulars. With pubs, restaurants and bars out of action, a walk and a takeaway coffee was a flicker of joy in a pretty dark time.
While we miss opening our doors to you and offering a warm and cosy place to sit down, the takeaway model makes a whole lot of sense for us as a business. With most of our customers stopping by on their route to work, or after the school drop off, we’re able to make coffee even faster through the hatch.
17. Use your shopfront to showcase your business
Along with our new through the hatch service, 2020 saw a glow up for our window display. With indoor space no longer available due to social distancing measures, we began to use our street-facing window to display our freshly delivered daily pastries, our selection of coffees for home and our Midnight Oil Drinks range. And who would have thought it, we actually started to sell more. That’s some old school visual merchandising in action.
Joel explains the value of the shopfront:
“When Covid hit and lockdown started in March 2020 it was hard to see how we’d return to our cafe on Broadway Market. Then Ian came up with the brilliant idea of using one of the large windows as a service hatch. The hatch allowed us to continue to operate but with the extra safety measures in place during a crazy time. It turned out that we were busier than ever and having the hatch actually improved our workflow. We did consider reopening inside but the hatch has continued to work very well for us, even through the depths of winter.”
18. Continue to grow
We don’t mean growth for the sake of growth. We remain fully independent, so we’re not growing to fill an investors pocket or have a rollout of shops.
The kind of growth we’re looking for allows us to continue to fulfil our goals around impact and sustainability, whether this is having the investment for our real-time carbon emissions tracking project or to allocate employee time to renewing our B Corp application.
Right now we’re planning a full renovation of our cafe space to help streamline our service for you and to improve the working environment for our team.
19. Keep it simple
At our core, we serve excellent coffee. While other trends may come and go, a well brewed batch or an exquisitely poured espresso is the reason our customers come back again and again.
Joel explains:
“I’m proud to keep things simple. I think it shows in the final product. We put a lot of effort into creating recipes for our espresso and batch brew and so much coffee is tasted to make sure you’re drinking the best version of each drink. But we don’t try and reinvent the wheel, we like to keep things classic. Some might think we’re playing it safe but if the end result is that your drink tastes great, that’s the most important thing for me. We weigh and time every single shot and follow the set recipe and that attention to detail makes the difference.”
20. Learn by doing and don’t be afraid to make mistakes
As an independent business, a lot of our success comes down to graft; learning by doing, working with great people, championing trial and error and never being afraid to do something that doesn’t go quite to plan along the way.
From the outside, it might seem like a mad decision to open a coffee shop in the current economic climate.
Operational costs continue to rise. From the London rents to the cost of the world's best beans, equipment and everything else we need to make our work service flow. The margins have always been low, meaning to survive you need a substantial customer base and to make a whole lot of cappuccinos to cover your costs. On top of that, the competition has never been greater with big brands and big investment in the specialty coffee space.
That being said, we love what we do and feel pretty proud of everything that our small square footage of a coffee shop has achieved in the last 20 years.
Parting advice from our Managing Director Nicole:
“If you decide to open a coffee shop - go into it with energy and know your purpose. Ian always wanted to share specialty coffee with the people of London and beyond. We do that with every interaction and through how we show up for our customers. That means consistently delicious coffee, sourced with care and made with attention.”
