|
Sasi Simala is from Andhra Pradesh and started his career as a software-professional. He was one of those early birds from India who migrated to the States in the 70s and he did a good business in association with his friends and on his own too. And he became tired of the software and States too. He wanted to come back to his own land, with a new business idea, a new business line, something that he had not tried at all.
He came back to India. Started a coffee shop - or should we call it coffee paradise - in Chennai. Qwiky's. The name is so familiar to the Chennaite that it doesn't need any special introduction. And why would Sasi, originally from Andhra, returning from the States, should choose Chennai for an entirely new venture? The wide and varying ingredients that have gone into the cultural synthesis of Chennai and its ability to accept and assimilate something new are obviously the natural reasons for choosing it as the base.
 Qwiky's is not just another coffee shop. It is a coffee pub, with a unique purpose and also a history behind it. Such coffee pubs usually follow the American or the Italian styles. There are no 'waiters' or 'servers' here. They are known as 'Baristas' (Italian for bartenders). They do not wear any kind of uniform. They look like just any other guest walking in to have a cuppa coffee. The guests come to Qwiky's to have a hot mug. And the Baristas are there to provide it to them. It is that simple. The Baristas are trim, suited and booted like any other businessman and sport a very smart appearance.
'At Qwiky's you do not get just coffee alone. What we give is an experience,' is what they claim. Seeing by what is going on there, we are sure that it is not a tall claim for real. And something more than that. They make around thirty varieties of coffee, hot or cold, to suit the tastes of the young and the old, the child and the aged and the traditional and the modern.
Edwin Paul, Vice President of Qwiky's group says, 'We at Qwiky's await the arrival of our guests. And they in turn, on arrival, wait for their friends and loved ones. This is a place to spend the fag end of the day happily and joyfully. Qwiky's is therefore not a shop where you get coffee. This is a place of gathering, congregation, rendezvous for friends and relatives. You can leave your messages behind for your guests. And this is a reading room too. There is a plentiful stock of books, newspapers and magazines for you to read through while you wait for the arrival of your friend. And then if you are done with coffee, you may walk in to the shops selling greetings cards, toys and t-shirts.' Enchanting!
The Qwiky's bell
 The special attraction in Qwiky's is its bell, made of metal. Guests coming for a cuppa coffee ring the bell to announce their joy. The ringing of the bell sends vibrations of happiness all around the place and flits on the hearts of all. Each vie with another to try his or her hand to ring the bell and the entire place rings with happiness soon.
Simala says, 'This bell is not just an instrument. It is a concept. It enables us to gauge the happiness that brims in the minds of guests who come to Qwiky's and how it spreads everywhere quite contagiously. We did not expect that this concept would find such ready acceptance. We are so happy that it has caught on and to see our guests are happy about it.'
 'Actually, when we introduced the bell in 1999 in our Sterling Road Pub, we did not expect that it would receive such a hearty welcome. It gives joy to our guests and to us too, when we hear its sound every now and then, when every other guest rings it.'
Qwiky's are really quickies in introducing several novel ideas. They have come out with new concepts like Coffee Island (Shop in shop concept), Qwiky's Coffee Kiosk, etc. They have acquired the necessary permission to open in Bharat Petroleum pump stations, to popularise Qwiky's coffee.
The way it goes gives credence to the success that awaits their enthusiastic efforts to seed the coffee culture in the country. 'We have sold more than 3,50,000 cups of Qwiky's coffee, a number which is higher than we had targeted originally,' Simala beams. They have opened their branches in Hyderabad and Delhi. As far as Chennai is concerned, their branches in Cathedral Road, Nelson Manickam Road, Kodambakkam High Road, Venkat Narayana Road,
G. N. Chetty Road, and St. Mary's Road are doing raving business.
 The seating arrangement in Qwiky's is flexible. It is not like the arrangement in other hotels that cannot be moved or can be moved only with difficulty. The furniture in Qwiky's can be moved anywhere and everywhere in the hall. There is no pre-planned or set pattern about the seating arrangement. You can carry your cup of coffee and walk about, sit in a very relaxed manner or can even lie down and have your coffee. As you like it.
Naturally, this kind of a warm-heartedness of the management has received a ready acceptance among clientele. 'We are getting a large number of youngsters everyday. In fact more than 60% of our regulars are in the age group of 30+. Elders are also our regular guests. This is actually a confluence of all ages.'
They plan to open 55 coffee pubs, 85 coffee islands and 100 coffee kiosks all over the country, within the next five years. They would do so for sure. The Indian youth is after all too ready to extend a warm welcome to novel ideas.
 oO! We forgot to mention the price. A cup of coffee costs Rs.70 and more. But the youth doesn't mind paying the price, though high it may be. They get a place to wait for the arrival of their friends and loved ones and they can sit there as long as they want. Who cares about the prices, when such convenience in comfort is so readily available!
Saravanan
Tr. by Hari Krishnan
Previous
Articles
|
