‘Nice talking to you.’

That was the simple goodbye that made two West Cork business owners smile; proof that the new layout at Forbes Kelly and Aisling O’Leary’s coffee shop Revel was helping customers to strike up conversations with strangers.

It’s been a big year for the pair, who marked twelve months in business in Clonakilty in March and welcomed a baby girl into the family in June. Despite being on maternity leave, Aisling is implementing new ideas and changes at full speed.

“As the year plus has sailed by, we noticed that Revel was turning into a wonderful little community hub,” Aisling told Yay Cork.

“Locals were getting to know each other more and more at Revel and that has warmed our hearts. Watching it unfold has been quite rewarding. We always said that we want people from all walks of life feeling welcome on our doorstep.”

This week, visitors to the popular café will find the layout has been reimagined to create a lot more seating space.

“Aside from swapping all the furniture around, we added some comfy armchairs to the couch to really create that ‘home away from home’ vibe. We imagine the heart-to-hearts being had there.” says Aisling.

A large custom table that once held some of the home decor items for sale in the store has been reutilised. Now, with a variety of seats around it, it’s the ideal environment for casual mingling. You can still browse Revel’s collection of candles, books, and decor on the walls.

“Personally, we hope to see a few single customers lock eyes with others while enjoying their Golden Bean coffee and Alchemy cakes),” adds Aisling.

There are some new goodies on the menu too, including craft beverages and even non-alcoholic beer in the ‘grab it yourself’ refrigerator near the till.

“If you take a good look around Revel now, you’ll recognise the bones of a good home. There’s the kitchen where we take care of our customers, the sitting room where you take a deep breath and unwind and there’s the dinner table where, as a family/community, you all sit around and tell each other about your day,” says Aisling.

“Working in the service industry, one is exposed to such a wide range of interesting characters and now (thanks to the new seating arrangement) our customers get to enjoy this privilege as well. Optionally, that is.”

Check the Revel Instagram feed for opening hours and updates.