Cork coffee shop owner: I would trudge to work... I was ready for a change

MIKEY Shinnick spent years on phones speaking corporate customer service lingo in Cork city.

Unbeknownst to him, the skill he was developing would be used for something completely different later in life.

“The training we got was amazing and I think it’s where a lot of this hospitality knack came from – being able to talk to people,” he says.

Mikey and his wife, Bernadette, always had an interest in food.

I always enjoyed hosting when friends came around, and a lot of my fondest memories revolve around sitting with my friends in a pub or going out with Bernadette for lunch – I was always drawn to this.

When Mikey worked in Little Island, he would nip round to Mahon Point Farmers Market, where he developed a love for great coffee through Golden Bean and Cork Coffee Roasters – two pioneers of Cork’s coffee scene.

Mikey enjoyed his coffee so much that Bernadette bought him a gift of a Chemex (a home brewing device) and a home brewing course with, Elia, the Head Roaster of Badger and Dodo. Mikey was tuning more acutely into his passion and it was beginning to bloom.

Eventually, Mikey and Bernadette had a moment sitting in Myo Café in Cork city and said to each other, “Wouldn’t this be lovely!” referring to the café lifestyle and possibility of proprietorship. They had a similar moment in O’Neill Coffee House in Skibbereen, and eventually the decision was made to switch from a safe and well paid career, to opening their own business.

“I would trudge to work some days – I knew I was ready for change!” says Mikey,

He kept his eye out and once he saw the big windows and the corner location on Main Street in Mitchelstown, he was sold! He met with Eddie, the landlord.

“I’m sure he was delighted to have a vacant building full, but I could also tell from the first moment he really believed in the idea and could see my passion!”

Mikey and Bernadette have two children; Llewyn, who was born in 2018 and Nainsí, born in 2022. As young parents, they opened the doors to their premises in February, 2020.

“For two weeks we were absolutely jointed and then bang!” says Mikey.

Covid hit and he found himself out the back of the shop one day questioning his decision and the sustainability of his business. Worried and dazzled by the unforeseen economic meltdown, he had to force himself into survival mode.

“Two weeks after we opened, Covid hit, and we had to completely reimagine our business. The learning curve was literally vertical! We went from having four staff at the beginning, to nine staff because we got so busy so soon, then back to two staff, which was just myself and Bernadette! All in the first fortnight!”

Luckily, Mitchelstown flocked to their third-wave style of artisanal coffee. Before they opened, the rumours around town were that ‘Some vegan decaf place is opening up!’

One lad said to me, ‘are you the fella that’s annoying all the farmers?’ thinking we would only be vegan!

But when they opened and people tasted the high quality coffee the queues were all the way up the street.

“I realised during Covid that everyone living within a five kilometre radius of you is your bread and butter! Keep them happy and you’re in with a chance.”

Mikey told a befitting story about his father.

“Now, my father, that man only eats and drinks for energy! He doesn’t taste anything! His order is a latte with one sugar and one morning he sat over by the window and said to me, ‘jeez, there’s an auld taste ’a lime off that! ‘Tis lovely.’

“I was stunned! He named one of the flavour notes off the bag and I thought, if he’s tasting a subtlety like that and he’s enjoying it then we’re doing something right!”

Pat Murphy, owner of CK53 Designs, came into the shop one day and noticed some legs were broken on a chair. He said he’d fix it no problem in his workshop and then Mikey and Pat merged ideas and now the shop has all new tables and chairs fitted out using reclaimed wood.

Mikey varies the coffees for his espresso which includes Stone Valley, West Cork Coffee, and Never A Day’s Trouble. He uses single origins and maintains a menu rotation as it keeps him on his toes, and he enjoys having to dial in each coffee and get a real feel for them all. All the pastries and goodies are baked in-house mainly by Bernadette, who is Co-Director of the business and has a natural flair for baking and cooking.

For two people who had no hospitality experience at all, to owning a café with supreme coffee – they’ve produced a stellar performance.

The Town Coffee Company, who have featured in McKenna’s Guide for three years running now, are a must stop in Mitchelstown for all the coffee lovers.

Next week: Good For The Soul, Ballincollig