When we first opened our doors in June 2017, never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that we would have so many wonderful and loyal customers.

As we celebrate being open for three years this month, we want to share with you the five things that we're most grateful for and five things we've learned about running our own coffee shop. We hope you find it interesting.

What are we most grateful for?

1. Our customers.

What's a business without customers? We're thrilled that we have so many regular & loyal customers, many of whom have become friends. Without them we would be nothing, and we really are grateful for their support.

2. Our team.

Our team has evolved and grown since 2017, but everyone who has worked with us on our journey has been awesome in their own way and again, we'd be nothing without our friendly and engaging team.

3. Our suppliers

We love delivering you the end product, but so much credit has to be given to our suppliers who really care about what they produce. From those that produce and roast our coffee to our baker Matt, there is so much care it's unreal.

4. Our tribe

This is a term coined by marketing guru Seth Godin. What makes us incredibly proud is when we hear people talking about us to others. It gives us confidence that we're trying to do the right things.

5. Our coffee machine!

Our beaut of a machine (La Spaziale S5) is a true workhorse that produces consistently beautiful coffee. We don't know where we'd be without it.

What have we learned?

1. Be prepared for ANYTHING

As COVID-19 has shown, when you run a business you need to be prepared for anything and be ready to adapt. This period has been hugely instructional for us.

2. Be nice

It seems simple, but we've tried really hard to build our business on basic principles - and being nice, something that is overlooked far too often, has been incredibly valuable in building relationships over the past three years.

3. Be creative

Many people comment on how we do things differently from many of our competitors, and of course that's deliberate. We believe that our unique identity is what attracts many to us, and we're loyal to our vision and creative spirit.

4. Be genuine

Again, like being nice, being genuine is imperative when building trust and confidence with staff, suppliers and customers alike. We make mistakes, sure, but we try and do things with the right intentions.

5. Be grateful

We have never, and never will, take our customers for granted. The fact that people are willing to spend their hard earned money at Bora still makes us smile and is something we're so grateful for.

I could go on, but I want to keep this post concise. Thank you all so much for supporting us and for helping us thrive over these past three years, it's been a pleasure getting to know you and we're excited about what the next three years will bring!