DAVID UNWIN/Stuff
Mouthwater Coffee owner Andrew Feldon outside his shipping container cafe on Tremaine Avenue.
There are no comfy sofas, no art or music, or the other typical trappings cafes employ to create a sense of invitation and belonging.
There isn’t even a front door. There is just a bright red shipping container in an industrial zone of Palmerston North.
But Mouthwater Coffee is not without its comforts, and it comes in the conversation and sense of community owner and barista Andrew Feldon values as much as the brew.
“It’s almost like Cheers where it feels like everyone knows everyone else.
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DAVID UNWIN/Stuff
Mouthwater not only brews coffee, they also sell coffee beans and pastries from Babco to takeaway
“People come and have a chat and a bit of banter. For me, it’s really nice to be able to go on that journey with them through whatever they’re going through.”
From two coffee karts, one on Tremaine Ave and the other on Main St, Feldon and his team provide a caffeine hit for everyone, from commuters to trades people, and at-home parents venturing out for a few minutes of adult conversation.
“We try to make a community out of it. For me, it’s not just about the transaction. We love people, and we want to engage with them, but the restrictions make it hard.
“Normally we’d also be going to events like festivals, weddings and corporate events, but that just doesn’t happen any more.”
Like countless other small hospitality businesses, Mouthwater has been battling through the red alert level restriction as people work from home and shun social gatherings.
Both of its coffee carts have seen a decline in patronage.
Feldon said business was “a bit lean” but he was yet to face any “existential questions” about Mouthwater Coffee’s future.
It was also proving difficult to find staff, but the four he had made for a really good team.
“I’m blessed by that.
“I think anyone in small business has moments of questioning what they do and why they do it. But when you’ve got that passion, you’ll find a way to be creative and overcome.”
DAVID UNWIN/Stuff
Andrew Feldon is just as much about the people as he is about the coffee.
Mouthwater Coffee has been open for five years, but Feldon has been in the industry for 17.
He has worked throughout the country, and travelled to Australia and South Korea to judge barista competitions. In the end, he always comes back to Manawatū.
“The community that we live in, and the environment here, is just great when everyone’s looking out for one another. People just have so much time for one another.
“That’s what I love about all of this. Even just being an ear for others when they don’t have someone to talk to or connecting people up to make new friends and connections.
“It’s really amazing what coffee can do to bring people together.”
The current climate has made those connections tougher. Masks, distancing, people staying home – it all contributed to a disconnect among his clientele and community.
“When you feel like you can’t do as much as you want to for customers, it’s hard.”
Feldon was grateful for the support from his community, and knew customers were sometimes buying a coffee to assist his business more than to satisfy their thirst.
”It really means a lot. I know it’s a luxury and people are cutting back now, but that coffee in the morning really makes all the difference for local businesses like us.”
