THE owners of an Oxton coffee shop and eatery say they have been “overwhelmed” by the support from the local community since opening last month.
Twenty Sixteen Coffee & Kitchen based in Oxton Village was opened on October 15 by husband-and-wife Helen and Chris Jones.
Helen and Chris, who both live in Oxton, named the café after the birth year of their six-year-old daughter Isla in a nod to their family-friendly ethos.
Helen told the Globe: “Chris has worked as a chef for over 23 years across Merseyside and after Covid hit he decided he wanted more of a work-life balance so we could spend time as a family.
“He always wanted somewhere of his own after working for everyone else for so long so when a place became available in the area we were delighted to invest in our own community which we love so much.”
The café offers extensive food and drink options including all-day breakfasts, brunch, lunch, burgers, and loaded fries as well as a vegan menu and children’s menu.
Helen said: “We’ve both always enjoyed eating out and Chris’ experience is in fine dining, but we wanted to do something casual and create somewhere that you could easily pop in for a coffee or a meal.
“We wanted it to be really accessible and family-friendly, so the menu has something for everyone.”
Like many local establishments in the area, Helen and Chris shared their concerns about opening a new business during the cost-of-living crisis.
Helen said: “There are lots of challenges in the current economic climate and we were worried whether we were opening at the right time and if people would have disposable money that they could spend on going out.
“We were very conscious when writing the menus that we priced accordingly because we want it to be affordable and for people to come in and get a decent meal that doesn’t cost the earth.”
Since opening, Helen and Chris currently employ 10 members of staff all from the local area, and say they hope to employ more in the future.
Helen said: “We were conscious that there’s a lot of places in the village to eat and drink at already, but we just felt like ours was a little bit different and we could add to the offer to the village.
“It’s been absolutely fantastic. We couldn’t anticipate how busy it was going to be we were really overwhelmed with how people have come and supported us.
“We’ve even started getting our regulars that come in now which is lovely. It’s been a great enthusiastic response.”
Twenty Sixteen Coffee & Kitchen is open seven days a week with an all-day menu available. To find out more click here.
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