Aneesah Seale has opened up her dream coffee shop and people are loving it despite her neighbourhood not having the best reputation, she is changing it all!
Bonteheuwel, Cape Town – Aneesah Seale is the woman everyone is talking about… she has opened the first coffee shop in Bonteheuwel in the notorious Cape Flats. Her little coffee shop is a passion for her and is making a big difference for her community.
Aneesah has a big love for baking and decided to turn that love into a business. She named her business ‘That Coffee Shop’ and she has had support from people as far afield as Mitchells Plain. She got the chance to talk to Kieno Kammies and confirmed that even with the crime and gangsterism in her area, the community has loved the idea of having a coffee shop in the community.
“I really have no fear. If I had feared I wouldn’t have had this coffee shop.” “The support I’ve been getting is absolutely amazing. The coffee shop is packed almost every day.” – Aneesah Seale
She found her love for baking when she was 9-years-old but went into bookkeeping as an adult. Then one day she woke up and took the plunge to open her own business. She converted her patio area into a small seated area where people could gather to eat her baking.
She makes different cakes every day and says the favourite is red velvet at the moment. Her coffee shop is not only breaking ground in a gang-ridden area, it has created jobs. Aneesah has employed 4 people to help her in the kitchen and with service out front.
While she lives in a quieter part of Bonteheuwel, the area is still riddled by gangs. In an interview with News24, she explained how focussing on the positive is better and she hopes this will bring more good into her neighbourhood.
“There’s just so much negativity here. It’s always about shooting and negative things. I wanted to bring something good, different. A treat you don’t have to go out of the neighbourhood to have,”
“If you have money for wine and drugs, why not rather spend it on good food, a latte and cake?”
Her little business has the power to empower so many people in her neighbourhood. Great job for following your dreams Aneesha, and thank you for empowering people within your neighbourhood.
by 