A couple is converting London’s famous red phone boxes into mini cafes
London has a number of unique and iconic aspects that set it apart from any other city in the world, from its namesake attractions such as the London Eye and the Tower of London to the potentially lesser-known treasures like the Camden Town Market and Stephen Wright’s House of Dreams.
But one thing that is distinctively attributed to London that you won’t find anywhere else is its iconic red phone boxes. And one couple is using this fact to bring a little creativity, and maybe a little bit of a caffeine kick, to them.
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Lore Mejia and Sean Rafferty are a couple that met in Colombia and bonded indirectly through coffee. According to Mejia, she was reporting on local farmers who had gained back their land after being displaced by paramilitary groups in the Sierra Nevada mountain range while Rafferty was in the region on holiday.
“On our second visit to this coffee farm in 2019, we had our second epiphany,” she explains. “It was there we saw the power and immense potential that coffee had to transform lives and communities. There is when everything began.”
The couple started sourcing coffee from individual farms, states, and cooperatives within Colombia and would travel extensively in search of new, inventive varieties and methods of processing the magic elixir. The inspiration that came from engaging with farmers and their families led them to create their company, Amar Café.
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Later, they developed an idea to transform one of London’s staple features by installing mini cafes in the red phone booths. There are now two locations in the city.
Unfortunately, like many other businesses, their company has experienced difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, Mejia remained determined, and although their cafes were forced to close, she pivoted and turned to online sales and social media to keep customers engaged, posting tutorials surrounding how to brew specialty coffee properly at home.
The cafes have since reopened, and the couple is eager to welcome back their clients.
“We will continue to be vigilant in following our protocols to keep Amar Café a safe place for all or customers to visit,” the couple explained in an Instagram post. “We ask you please to also do yours to maintain the health and safety of our community and staff members.
Let’s all get through the next months together.”
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