This week Dom Smith speaks to Megan Hayward on her new endeavour, a coffee and doughnut (donut for our Americans readers) shop in Hull, which has already gone down a storm locally. We talk about how the business got off the ground, what people can expect from the store and its mouth-watering menu along with what the mission statement is.
If you don’t already know, Megan Hayward and Jack Nicklas started by creating a fantastic set of mouth-watering doughnuts, which went down a storm with their friends and led to them setting up a delivery service due to demand. The Cottingham couple has big ambitions for Revival, a shop dedicated to coffee and doughnuts. It was difficult initially to convince landlords that coffee and doughnuts were a viable business. Megan says there were “so many knockbacks in the beginning.” This led the couple to take their products around various markets to drum up interest. A lot of the success came from word of mouth and effective use of social media, “We haven’t put a lot of money into marketing, it’s all just been from word of mouth,” says Megan.
In terms of the actual store, there is a lot to cover; with limited seating for customers who want to sit in and take in the atmosphere of the place. The majority of the menu is vegan, which is a nice addition, along with the fact that all the doughnuts are freshly made from the micro kitchen and then transformed into the tasty treats that people queue round the block for. Getting the doughnuts just right was vital for Megan and Jack, their business hung in the balance of it. “We knew getting the doughnuts right and getting the right sort of texture and things like that, great taste to them is so important,” says Megan. They did get it right, just speak to anyone who has been to Revival or all the positive feedback they have gotten online. With hopes to extend hours in the next couple of months, things are going to get busier.
There is a brilliant aesthetic too, with murals designed by local artists along with a top to bottom transformation of the property, with custom made tables and countertops and have made the place into a cosy, visually pleasing and most of all friendly hub. Looking back now it’s inspiring how far the business has come, from buying a £20 fryer and testing them on family and friends to securing a contract for a property that was formerly a hair salon and now a fully-fledged coffee and doughnut house.
In terms of the mission statement for the business, Megan manages to sum it up in a few words, “Really we just wanted to make a really good vibe, a really friendly atmosphere.” This shows as well, with many people taking to the business.
If you get the chance then definitely visit Revival, which is open Thursday to Sunday 11 am – 4 pm and is located 77 Ferensway, Hull. For more visit: https://www.instagram.com/revivalcoffeeanddonuts
Words: Brett Herlinghsaw / Interview: Dom Smith / Images: The Den Photography
