Community Cornerstone is brought to you by Square. 

We all have a grá for our local coffee spot.

All over Cork, nestled amidst the bustling streets and historic landmarks, lies a vibrant tapestry of local cafés. These cosy havens, each with its unique charm, serve more than just coffee and pastries; they are the cornerstones of our communities.

We’re delving into the personal stories of the passionate individuals behind those busy counters, all powered by Square’s all-in-one solution for food and beverage businesses.

Chris Fahy, WildFlour, Main Street, Innishannon, Co. Cork

“I’ve always wanted to run my own food business, ever since I can remember. My mother worked in hospitality and I honestly don’t think she wanted the same for me but I’ve always been drawn to food. The idea of my business matured as I did. The more places I worked and the more experience I got, the more my plan developed. I’ve always loved bread but after watching a documentary called Cooked by Michael Pollen where he spoke about fermentation and the process of sourdough bread, I thought I’d give it a go.

“Once I tasted real bread there was no going back. I learned, read books, went down YouTube rabbit holes, and practiced. When it got to a stage where I was confident in bread making I thought I should share this with everyone.

“The main idea was to bring real bread to people. The pastries developed over time to become the main part of the business. We take special care to create things that we are proud of. I settled on Wildflour as the identity that means naturally fermented; flour being fermented by wild yeast and bacteria, Wildflour.

“In this business, you can never have enough money to spend. Everything costs thousands. I opened around COVID times and it took nine months for the ESB to hook up the power, which was the biggest thing for us. The customers were waiting almost a year from when we first painted the building so there was a big hype to live up to.

“Square makes it really easy to keep on top of sales. I can see what sells from week to week and I can change my production numbers if needed. I can go back to Mother’s Day last year, for example, and see how we did. That gives me good insight to plan for upcoming dates.

“The back office is really detailed. I also love the payment links. Often people ask us to keep things and they might forget to pick it up but with the payment links, they can prepay. Once it’s paid for they seem to remember to come and get it so we aren’t losing out on a sale.

“Our main thing is the quality of our produce. When you invite a friend for dinner or brunch at your housee you’re going to make the effort to cook them the best meal using the best ingredients and serve them the special occasion wine. That’s how we look at our bread and pastry for our customers. We are inviting you to come and share something we love.

“A typical day starts at 4am, 3am on the weekends. We start to bake bread and pastries and mix focaccia and doughnuts if they are on that day. It’s all baking until maybe 8am when the prep team kicks into gear. The bakery is running for 12-13 hours nonstop. It’s a small space so we bump off each other from time to time.

“For me, the biggest success is being able to employ so many people and being part of a community. We support fundraisers and sports teams whenever they ask. It’s great to be able to do that. Like all hospitality businesses, we need more people working in the industry. There is rarely enough staff.

“I’ve learned that I’m not a great communicator. My wife might say this sometimes but when all the staff start saying it, maybe I am the problem but I’m working on it! I appreciate what I have a lot more. I didn’t have much beforehand but I do appreciate everything I have worked for.

“What advice would I give to aspiring food industry entrepreneurs? Start in a different country! I’d say just go for it. What’s the worst that can happen? Tell everyone your plans. When the plans actually start to come together you will get so much support.

“This empire is built of cinnamon buns. I’m excited about all the things we still have to learn. There is plenty of room for growth and change and we are always trying new things so keep an eye out.”

Community Cornerstone is brought to you by Square, the flexible restaurant POS solution your staff can learn in minutes. Square takes payments quickly and keeps the queue moving, with a host of extra bonuses to track sales and manage inventory. Find the best solutions for your business needs at square.com. Square is Big in Cafes, and WildFlour is Big in Cork.

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Photos: Louis Tang