we’re not like them other boiz
Small Beginnings
We’re just a cupple of siblings who always knew we wanted to create something together. Joe has always loved hospitality and Ella has some big opinions. When Joe decided to fly the nest and live in Australia he landed in Melbourne, renowned for it’s coffee and it’s brunches. He convinced Ella to join him and there they trained and worked as Baristas in one of Melbourne's Cafe's which was included in the prestigious Melbourne coffee guide. It was here where they learnt a lot about what the UK was missing.
After spending some time down under, Ella and Joe returned to the UK and wanted to bring a piece of this home with them. “Good coffee can be hard to come by. We wanted to create a place that not only could be a great hub for locals and tourists, but serve tasty AF coffee too. Melbourne was one of the greatest places to work. It was busy and vibrant. The locals loved it and we were proud of the food and drink we served. When you're spending over £2.50 per cup, why settle for something standard?” - Ella Duran, Co-Director
After moving to Woolacombe they purchased an old horse trailer to convert over the winter months. After a few trial and errors (including wheels falling off) they were able to get the box in a state they were happy enough with to open their doors, which they did so in the summer of 2017 opposite Combesgate beach. It wasn’t long until it turned a few heads and were named Top 10 places to drink Coffee in North Devon and bagged a mention in The Sunday Times.
Happy with their summer spot in Woolacombe the pair continued to open for the high peak seasons but kept their eye out for a more permanent residence to be able to stay open during the colder months. Finally, in 2019 they took over a shop space in Braunton as a second premises and have become renowned in the area for the coffee and artisan 4am doughnuts.
the name
“We’ve been asked this question a lot and it’s always funny trying to explain it to people. Ella had worked summer seasons in North Devon and rented a flat in the area in a renovated Hotel. We nick-named it ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ because weirdly enough ALL the couples that had lived there at some point had ended up breaking up, so it became like a heartbreak curse. We’d get back from bad dates and joke about ‘checking into Heartbreak Hotel’ whilst cracking open a bottle of tequila. It’s melancholy we know, but Ella and I were so unlucky in love - the name just stuck!” Joe Duran, Co-Director
OUR COFFEE
Coffee is what we do. It’s out thang’, it’s what we live and breathe. We have partnered up with Allpress Coffee because we love the taste of their beans and because they support our overall ethos.
It also happened to be a small coffee stand at the London Coffee Festival who gave Ella her first matt black canister which she still has today. When Ella went to meet Joe in Melbourne and got her first cafe job - it was also the coffee they served. Coincidence?
Find out more about Allpress.
BROKEN, BUT BIG HEARTED
Our hearts may be broken, but it is BIG. We believe that we aren’t just a cafe, but that we have a voice that can be used for good influence and inspire many people in our community to also do the same. We want to voice topics that are important not just to us but for the people in our area.
We’ve supported and donated to many causes that are close to our hearts including Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ+ and gender pay gaps, CHOOSE LOVE, Black MINDS matter and CuppaFeel.
NOTHING LASTs FOREVER…EXCEPT PLASTIC
We support Plastic Free North Devon and wear our Plastic Free Champion Sticker with pride. Not only that all our cups, juice cups, lids, and straws are compostable. Instead of buying new, we look for used materials we can use for our premises including chairs and mugs. Every little helps!
DON’T LEAVE US HANGING
WANT TO TAKE US UP ON THAT DATE? CHECK OUT WHEN WE ARE OPEN
