Denied franchise by Barista, Kashmiri youth’s cafe rocks Srinagar in a year

He was an introvert Kashmiri boy. He could easily be spotted in his class on the backbench. No, he didn't hate studies; he was just way too shy of his teachers. He was known as the quiet boy in the neighbourhood, but underneath this silence, his mind was producing some loud ideas no one had fathomed.

Mir Muneeb, 26, is a BCA graduate who chased his dream and made it a reality by opening Kashmir's very own multi-cuisine fast food café and lounge, The Other Side Cafe. It is themed around a maple leaf and flanked on its walls are Kashmir’s scenic photographs that are clicked by Mir himself. A true treat for the eye is one of its colourful corners where a mini library sits pretty.

The visitors, overawed by its warmth, sink in on the cushy chairs and soak in its enriching ambience. The testimony to this is a 99 per cent positive review of the place in last one year of its inception.

How the cafe came into being

Muneeb was just 23 when he conceived this idea of starting his own cafe. Initially he planned on getting a franchise of Brista Lavazza, but when they turned down his offer, it was quite a letdown. He then gathered himself back and put all his passion into starting his dream cafe -something Kashmir could be proud of.

“When Barista turned my offer down stating that Kashmir is a conflict zone and they weren’t keen on expanding there, it was quite disheartening. It gave me sleepless nights, but in my heart I knew I could pull off a cafe and that’s when the idea to start my own brand germinated. I wanted to ensure that my cafe meets the international standards in every way, be it quality, ambience, service or hygiene,” says Muneeb.

After booking a space of 1050 square feet in Srinagar’s Sara Mall, Muneeb started to work on the building a cafe that would reflect Kashmir’s culture, and he worked on every minute detail day and night for about an year.

"The construction phase was the toughest period of my life as it took us more than four months to build the café because of the kind of intricate work it involved. I didn’t compromise on the quality and worked day and night with my workers on every detail. I even remember where all have they hit the nails on walls. Building this cafe has been more of an emotional journey," Muneeb shares.

From introvert to super-friendly chai wala

Coming from a family of doctors, Muneeb could have chosen any other profession, but it was the hospitality industry that fascinated him the most.

"I always loved to observe restaurant culture; I used to keenly observe how the cooks, stewards, managers, waiters and others worked. I love the idea of serving people with good food. I have also done part-time photography and won several accolades for the same internationally. I have also sold record number of giant-size picture frames far for many business companies in the Valley. My true calling, however, was this hospitality business which I took full time. More than a business, this is a passion for me. It is something which keeps me very happy," says Muneeb with a smile on his face.

"I have been always an introvert who doesn’t like crowds and avoids facing a lot of people. I always used to run away from the people and use to do my work in isolation, but this passion of building a café from the scratch changed everything in my life and even in my nature. Now, I love to meet new people everyday at my cafe and make new friends also," adds Muneeb.

"When my friends call and ask me what I am doing, I proudly tell them I am selling tea. This 'chai wala' tag makes me happy," he quips.

Cafe’s first anniversary

Completing a year this April, the visitor books have 99% positive reviews for food, place, service and hygiene. So what is it that has kept The Other Side Cafe tick for a year now?

Sahiba, a frequent visitor to the place, shares, "I usually come here after a tiring day at office. I love the coffee, the pizza, all the Irish and Lebanese food they serve. The best thing about this place is that they improve with time. Every time I come here, I feel the food has got even better."

According to Muneeb, employing nine fellow Kashmiris in the cafe is one of his greatest achievements. "Something which actually makes me feel accomplished after a year is that I have nine more people working with me in my team who are also from Kashmir. It means a lot to me. I might not be earning a lot but I am following my dream," says a determined Muneeb.

The Other Side Café has successfully completed one year. It has created a benchmark of class and standards in the hospitality industry.  The reviews on the cafe read like this:  A cafe of unique class, an art in itself, a place truly meeting international standards.

Like most of the successful men dedicate their success to some women in their life, Muneeb dedicates it to his mother.

"After the Almighty, I dedicate this one year’s success to my mother. She has supported me unconditionally throughout the two years. With me, she has nurtured this idea till it became a reality. This couldn’t have been possible without her. I can proudly say that whatever I am today and whatever I have achieved is because of her support only,” Muneeb signs off.

The article was originally published on http://www.iamin.in/