North End Coffee Roasters Story

 North End Coffee Roasters started in March,2011 officially.  I was working in a German -Joint venture company called Pre-Press Bangladesh. The first time I had met Rick and Monir was somewhere at end of 2010 or early January of 2011. I cannot recall, maybe if I am mistaken let me know.

I asked Monir, at that time I did not know him.  I talked to him since they are just a floor below my office. He told me it was going to be a coffee shop and owner was American.  Monir introduced me to Rick.

 

I was hopeful and looking forward for the coffee shop. I had my selfish reasons. The reason was that the place Shajadpur was an area known for businesses which provided services to construction work like: rod, and other related materials. This was not place where you would build a restaurant or coffee shop either. Lots of customers advised to move North End to Gulshan or some posh’ areas. But no the North End Team had their ideas.

 

Working above North End was a time I cherished.  At that time, I was single and lot younger.  The Company I worked for provided Photo retouching services for Ecommerce sites. Well, the beautiful pictures you see in ecommerce sites is not that the product looks really great. But also, fact is the pictures are photoshopped”.  The company from German took pictures from all over Europe. Brands Like Rolls Royce, Otto, Kaufland gave pictures. When you email these companies directly, they do not give you an answer.  Mighty proud maybe, since they want to give to German media houses. Well German media houses outsources to us and we process the pictures.

Companies like:

·         H &M

·         GAP

 

Are directly working with Bangladesh.    Well, the German company was huge but they did not respect much Bengali People (in my opinion).  I mean when we were doing interior design of the company., the MD told me that he asked his wife:” Can Bangladeshi designers design a kitchen like this?”

Well, he was pleased and surprised.  The MD is supposed to order Aston Martin cars for himself. But he paid extra money (I think millions) to have written on the car: “Made for MD name.”. Let’s call this company Fast M.

Around February 2011, I think.  Rick offered me coffee.  I personally that time did not like coffee. I said:” Rick, why should I drink coffee for 50 BDT? When I don’t like drinking coffee and I love drinking tea. Tea costs 5 Takas (BDT).”  He did not say anything.  Next day he told me “The whole month is free for you”. Oh boy I was working upstairs North End Coffee Roasters and was drinking cappuccino three times a day! It was FREE!  After a month the offer was gone and I paid for the coffee. That is business skills!

I was offered 70 percent discount of the price. The highest I paid at that time as 70 Takas (BDT) in North End.

                                    North End Main branch -2011

 

My boss and colleague would say how would this coffee shop make any business here. I told him coffee was good taste and they might do good.  Some where in March 2011, comes Uwe. A German management official comes from company Fast M, Thailand branch. I took him to North end. I was skeptical since I was no expert in coffee. After he tasted the coffee, I asked his feedback.  He said “This is better than Star Bucks!” Then I knew, this coffee is really good and one day it will become a brand. 

 

There was a lady and I asked about her. I was told that is Chris, wife of Rick. I talked to and she had a very nice, smiling personality.  Chris was the expert of bakery items. Really good: cinnamon Roll, Brownie and biscuits.

 

At lunch sometimes getting bored from routine food offered by the company. I wanted a change so I asked Rick :” How about some sandwiches” He told me it will ruin the theme since it is a café. I had given this suggestion to the manager of North End Coffee Roasters. then too. Fast forward several years: Well yes North end menu has:

·         4C Sandwich

·         Roast Beef sandwich

·         The Charles

·         Chilli Milli

 

 

The domain registration for indicacollection.com happened whilst working above North End. I had once asked about the origins of the name. he said it was a place in Boston. I had met another gentleman from American Club. His name was George.   Rick introduced me to him, and learnt he is going to give a hotdog restaurant. Later it was known as George’s Café. I have tasted the hotdogs and took a gentleman who was visiting from USA. He loved the café and food. He was surprised Bangladesh had this quality food.

 

I invited Mr Adam Dawla who was working for Independent Television whom I had met earlier in BGCCI. He loved the coffee at North End Coffee Roasters,

 

 

My personal choice of food in North End Coffee Roasters:

·         Cappuccino

·         Cinnamon Roll

·         4C Sandwich

·         Date Bar

·         Moroccan Mint

 

I visited Tabaq in Jamuna Future Park somewhere in 2014 or something. I met one the owners called Mubarak. The sandwiches were really nice. He asked to coffee and I said why should I buy for 150..when I get a discount plus taste of coffee is really great at North End Coffee Roasters.  He offered complimentary cup of cappuccino and asked my opinion. My onion was that after North End, this was the best. I would certainly place in my list of restaurants.  Well later on I gave a food fbpage called Indica Food

 

What was so special about North End that it made a difference in Bangladesh?

The answer is good, honest, polite behavior with customers.  This attitude surprised me. The owner greeted all customers who waled in the café. Whether it was owner of Coffee World (who visited occasionally in 2011 to seek advice about coffee.) or it was a poor normal man who just walked in. This was the difference! In Bangladesh, quality restaurant owners rarely talked with customers, unless they were VIP or rich.

In short:

·         Good behavior

·         Good quality food

·         Good decoration

Are they to successful trait  of a restaurant in Bangladesh?

Originally appeared in

Indica Collection 

indicacollection.com