MILTON KEYNES AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS MILK AND BEANS. WHAT DO YOU MAKE MOST COFFEE WITH? MILK AND BEANS. NOW, THAT ALONE EXPLAINS SOME OF IT, BUT NOT ALL.
TWO YEARS AGO, I CAME TO A POINT WHERE I WAS REALLY THINKING ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF THE BUSINESS. A STUMBLING BLOCK, IN MY VIEW, HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE NAME. AFTER ALL, I’M NOT THE ONLY CARLO’S COFFEE IN MK. IT HAD TO CHANGE.
I COULDN’T SLEEP, STRESS I GUESS, BUT IT HIT ME THAT MILK AND BEANS WAS RIGHT THERE, SO GLARINGLY OBVIOUS. A NAME WITH A DOUBLE MEANING, AND A BIT OF A LAUGH TOO. MILTON KEYNES HAS ITS ISSUES. BUT I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED IT. IT’S WEIRD, BUT IT’S KINDA REALLY COOL. THIS PLACE WAS MADE WITH DESIGN AT THE HEART OF IT, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. LINES AND GRIDS EVERYWHERE. SO MUCH GREEN SPACE TOO.
ANYWAY, COVID HIT AND THE THOUGHT HAD TO TAKE A BACK SEAT AT THE TIME. WHOLESALE DISAPPEARED, BUT RETAIL EXPLODED. I HAVE YOU ALL TO THANK FOR THAT, YOU REALLY KEPT THIS SMALL BUSINESS GOING, AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL.
IN JULY, I DECIDED TO GET IT MOVING. IT FELT LIKE THE RIGHT TIME. IF YOU KNOW ME, YOU KNOW I LOVE MINIMALIST DESIGN. THINGS TO BE VERY STRAIGHT AND CLEAN, BUT ALSO SOMETHING SUPER MEMORABLE. I ENTRUSTED THE HELP OF TWO ABSOLUTE LEGENDS, ANGELO TROFA AND MATTI VANDERSEE, WHO HAVE REALLY BROUGHT THIS TO LIFE. I TOLD THEM BOTH I WANT TO STAY TRUE TO MK.
STAYING TRUE TO MK ISN’T ALWAYS EASY. THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDEPENDENTS AREN’T THERE SCREAMING OUT AT YOU. BUT IF YOU LOOK, THERE IS A LOT HERE AND A LOT TO BE PROUD OF. THE SCENE IS GROWING ALL THE TIME.
IT FELT SAD PUTTING THE POST TOGETHER WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THE END OF CARLO’S COFFEE KITCHEN. SORRY FOR BEING SO DRAMATIC. THE JOURNEY STARTED NEARLY 6 YEARS AGO TO THE DAY, WHERE I GOT MY FIRST LITTLE ROASTER AND USED TO ROAST IN THE KITCHEN (HENCE THE NAME!). I HOPE YOU ENJOY WHAT COMES NEXT.