One Cumbrian coffee shop continues to rival big names in the industry

As many new big name brands such as Starbucks, Tim Hortons and Costa Coffee continue opening stores and operating in Cumbria, many independant coffee shops may feel the pressure to perform.

The Moon and Sixpence are doing exactly that.

The business originally started in Cockermouth but has recently expanded to Keswick.

Stephen Kidd, owner of the coffee shop, described the last six month as 'interesting' as he navigated a big move, a different market and new style in Keswick, whilst continue to run the Cockermouth site. 

Stephen spoke about how he competes against the big names saying: “You don’t do what they do.

"They have thousands put into their businesses so they are good at what they do. If you emulate their model, you fail."

Stephen tries to offer a very different experience from one you may find at the bigger stores. The Moon and Sixpence are based purely off local suppliers and Stephen's focus is on service, produce and locality.

The new Keswick store (Image: Newsquest)

Transparency is a big deal in the store as Stephen said: "I hope people appreciate what we do and how much we take care of a great product.

"I can tell you everything about our products, from the farm to the shop."

The Moon and Sixpence changes the flavour of the four different espresso blends regularly which Stephen said "makes it interesting for us to work with".

The business works with both light and dark roasts which is not easy, but he said they 'love the challenge'.

Stephen spoke about the journey the store has been on since opening, saying: "I only ever wanted to open a shop so I didn’t have a boss and I got that quickly.

"Due to the success, I have had opportunities with the National Trust [Keswick] and I couldn’t say no."

"I had to adjust how I work. It is an ever changing thing. I am not doing what I originally planned but I am enjoying the challenges and it keeps it fresh for me. I like it because it makes me change things rather than be stagnant."

Stephen's plan for the business is to keep focusing on what he is doing and stabilising that. Just two weeks after the Keswick store opened, Stephen's baby girl was born so he is not taking on more opportunities to get some rest with his family!

He said: "I care about the shop and when you grow past that, there is a risk of losing quality, so I don’t want to lose that. However, I wouldn’t say no to something if it was great and I could do it, without causing damage to the other shops."

READ MORE: From Starbucks to Tim Hortons: Coffee outlets in North Cumbria