Cafélly serves up daily dose of delights
From small bites to a mouthful, you name it, they have it. The story of Cafélly Limited transcends beyond delicious eats to an outlet emerging as an oasis and food chill spot in the New Kingston area.
Strategically located beside the Knutsford Express depot along Dominica Drive, the small café has for the last few months catered to the appetites of commuters, drivers and other repeat customers working in and around the busy corporate district, offering a fill to those who come in search of a good coffee, tasty lunch specials or some delectable treats.
The business started by entrepreneur Karey Kelly now carries a growing list of menu offerings, much of which customers have come to appreciate and love.
“We offer breakfast, lunch, coffee, smoothies, juices, salads, sandwiches, pasties, and other items. With prices at Cafélly remaining unbeatable, this sees customers coming back for their daily dose of delights. Our chicken wrap, beef panini and fruit smoothies now rank among those products highest in demand,” Kelly told the Jamaica Observer.
At just four months old, the small operation, largely funded from personal savings, comes as an expansion of a similar business venture previously operated at the same location by a close family associate.
“My mother’s friend was the owner of the first café which existed at the location. However, after she decided to migrate and sell the business… my mother informed me of the plans and I told her I was interested because it is a very good location.
“The name of the new business, which we have chosen to call Cafélly, was coined by my best friend. Having great significance for me, it is a combination of café and Kelly, which is my surname,” the budding entrepreneur said.
The fairly new business, which the owner said now pushes a decent level of sales, he hopes will only get better as word spread and more people come to experience the Cafélly goodness. With operations now supported by a small complement of staff, consisting of three full-time team members, Kelly along with his team works overtime to put in those extra hours even as he juggles other time-consuming career demands.
“Recognising that it’s a small and new business I have tried to put in a lot of hours weekly, sometimes getting just four hours of sleep a day as I try to make my presence felt in this business , even as continue to take care of all my other responsibilities. Thankfully, I do, however, get some support from family, especially my sister,” he stated.
Grateful not only for the support of family and friends, Kelly as a newcomer to the restaurant business is also happy to have been able to set-up shop even as he continues to navigate the teething pains that comes with running a business. Having been able to overcome various challenges in the last few months, he cited his ability to keep the business afloat as he takes care of expenses on time while satisfying customer needs, among his greatest achievements.
Optimistic about the future growth of the business, the multi-talented entrepreneur said he now has his eyes set on two very important longer term objectives.
“In the next five years I definitely see Cafélly becoming a one-stop shop for all the tasty delights we now offer and those we will eventually add to our menu. More ambitiously, by the end of that same period I’m also looking to have at least one more location. This, as I also go after some of the most prestigious awards in gastronomy,” he said of the outlook.