SERIES ONE – EDITION SIX
In the sixth edition in the Faces behind the business series we caught up with Anthony Grice, aged 40, owner of Fika Liverpool; a Swedish inspired coffee shop.
When did you first get into the industry?
I started out in the industry many years ago working at Caesar’s Palace restaurant in Liverpool. At the time in the late 90’s their weren’t many restaurants in the city. Caesars Palace was the biggest restaurant outside of London and no doubt the busiest in the whole country at the time with over 1500 customers coming through the doors on a normal day being served through the 4 kitchens throughout the building.
I was restaurant manager and was working 80-90 hours a week as standard. I had a good relationship with the owners and I learned that you need to work hard if you want to achieve anything. I enjoyed meeting people and the hospitality industry.
How long have you worked at Fika and what is your job role?
We opened Fika on 2nd April 2018. I own and run the coffee shop. My day begins at 4am heading straight to the shop and begin making the cakes, pastries & bread for the busy day ahead.
Once these are in place I make a quick trip to the markets for fresh produce each morning before we open the shop doors at 8am till 4:30pm. Once the doors are closed and the place is cleaned up, I run a stock take and complete the days paperwork before leaving the shop around 6pm to head home for the day.
What is Fika’s ethos?
The word “FIKA” is a Swedish concept and means to have a break. Take a break, Slow down, have a coffee and meet new friends. We have tried to adopt this and incorporate in our day to day running of the shop.
What’s the best bit of advice you could give to anyone looking at working in your line of work?
The industry is very competitive and demanding, never see your customers as people who are there just to put money in the till and take them for granted. We see them as friends. Supporters of the shop, people who come in to support your dream.
Stand out from the main franchises out there by offering something different. Don’t think of how much profit you’ll make on your products. The quality of the products on offer is key. Treat every customer like they’re the important.
What do you love most about Liverpool?
It’s simple. The people! We are not English we are Scouse! We are different to the rest of the country. Liverpool is full of the most amazing people on the planet. We see this on a daily basis in our shop when 2 people have never met before can speak like they’ve known each other all their lives. A Liverpool person would give you their last penny, their last grain of rice or drop of blood if it meant someone else would benefit. This is what I love about our city.
If you could describe your business in 3 words what would they be?
Community, Inclusive & Friendly.
You can check out more information about Fika on Instagram @fikacoffeeliverpool
Are you a business in the Liverpool City Region and want to feature in our Faces Behind the Business series? Contact us now by emailing hello@explore-liverpool.com or get us on WhatsApp on 07568 532 537
