Not so much of a blog but more an announcement.
Today (Wed 16th) is the final day of roasting at our lovely roastery space at Longdown. When I started Crankhouse I always had in mind that one day there would be a roastery site with a retail component, like many of the fabulous places we used to visit when my wife and I lived in Brisbane.
Click the image to see how beautiful it is
Great Matridge is a converted barn on the Culver Estate near Longdown about 5 miles west of Exeter. It is a beautiful building in a beautiful place near the edge of Dartmoor National Park. The few times I've been able to site outside and enjoy a coffee or lunch have always felt magical. BUT (you knew that was coming !).. it was a space too far off the beaten track to be anything more than a production space.
I could have kept the business growing for the next 3 years to come to full term of the 6 year lease but it felt like it was time to make a big leap of faith. I found a site in Exeter that was soon to be vacated and was big enough and 'industrial' enough to feel right for a cafe and roastery combined. I went for it and took the break clause in my lease at Culver.
Tomorrow I'm dismantling the Petroncini. Friday a removals company are coming to take it away. Hopefully by then I'll have the lease signed on the new site and the keys so they have somewhere to take it to. Needless to say it's been a bit stressful.
The priority is to get the roasting side of the business back up and running and ensure there's no loss of supply to our wholesale and retail customers. Once that's done then we'll think about the cafe space. I'm teaming up with one of Exeter's best known baristas and cafe managers who's going to build and operate the cafe side of the business.
We'll be making another announcement about all that Jazz when the time is right.
Until then, if you place an order and it doesn't arrive as quick as it normally does then forgive us. We'll do our utmost to ensure that all orders, wholesale and retail get fulfilled during the transition.
2 Comment
Christine Davison on
Hi, I saw your place today & thought it may be a new place to try for our meetup creative group.
However am I right in saying it’s not a place to drink a coffee but to buy in quantities?
Thanks Chris
FIona vErney on
Where are you moving too?
Hope you’re both ok – shall we sort a time for a curry – it’s been too long for us all catching up!