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SBD Work a Day in My Shoes Initiative: Killian’s Coffee
Last Thursday, Ger Corbett, CEO of Sandyford Business District worked a day in the shoes of Killian, owner of Killian’s Coffee. This kicked off the beginning of SBD’s ‘Work a Day in My Shoes’ initiative.
Killian’s Coffee is located right next to Aldi on Blackthorn Drive, and is open 7 days a week serving specialty coffee and tasty treats. They have also launched a delicious new lunch menu, with breakfast, frozen bowls, toasties, and their new street bowls, which they now make in-house.
Ger got to work, trained in by Killian and Rob and learned all about their coffee, from their bean supplier to what goes into making the perfect cup. He also helped out with the lunch rush by making toasties for customers and got to meet some of Killian’s lovely regulars.
Working side-by-side with the team allowed Ger to learn more about the challenges that the hospitality sector is facing, both generally and specific to Killian’s Coffee including:
- Rising costs and tighter margins, and the difficulties around finding new suppliers.
- Reduction in spending, as consumers see buying coffee as more of a ‘treat’ rather than an everyday activity.
- Consumers have higher expectations around coffee, which means the standards of your products need to be high, requiring higher costs, more training, and better ingredients.
- A big challenge is trying to get consumers on board with either visiting more regularly or spending more per visit.
- There is a lack of access to internet services, which means Killian is required to use a 5g router which is expensive and unreliable, particularly affecting his card machine.
- Also discussed was staining outside the shop and a desire for more additions to communal areas.
Ger and Killian also discussed ways in which SBD could support the coffee shop, with key opportunities including:
- Improving brand and location awareness throughout The District outside of the immediate area.
- Creating opportunities by connecting Killian’s Coffee with multinationals, other small businesses, and residential blocks.
- Increasing their regular customer base.
- Showcase Killian’s Coffee at SBD’s 2025 Culture Night event, which will have at least 450 people in attendance.
- Promotion using SBD’s Digital Sign on Ballymoss Road as well as our ‘In The Loop’ Newsletter.
- SBD can help solve the internet issue, by making contact with relevant stakeholders to develop a long-term solution.
Killian mentioned: ‘I’ve had had a couple of coffee shops before, but I’ve never had that sort of support system put in place where people are genuinely trying to help you out… having that sort of outlet for me is hugely beneficial… not every coffee shop in the country has anything like that’
Finally, Ger reflected on his day in Killian’s Coffee with his main takeaways being:
- Killian knows his business inside and out, and delivers products of extremely high quality, with enthusiasm that has earned him a loyal customer base.
- Companies in the hospitality sector are being faced with a combination of rising costs, lower spend from consumers, and higher expectations, so building a regular customer base is crucial.
- SBD can help with this, by building brand awareness and connecting companies across The District, with support from events such as SBD’s Culture Night.
- Practical issues can also be addressed, such as the internet services, staining, and additions to communal areas.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to Killian for letting Ger work a day in his shoes, and for taking the time to discuss his experiences as a small business in the hospitality sector. His expertise and hospitality are truly unmatched. Check out the full video here, and learn more about Killian’s Coffee here.
Are you a local company interested in taking part? Get in touch with the SBD team to let us work a day in your shoes! Contact us at operations@sandyford.ie.
