Celebrity Life
Startup Life: Scottie Callaghan of Fineprint Explains Why Good Coffee is All in the Details
If you're an avid coffee drinker in Hong Kong, then you'll likely have heard about Fineprint. Currently located in two locations in Central and Tai Hang, the specialty coffee shop and wine bar is a popular haunt for many to hang out leisurely. Unlike other large coffee shop chains in the city, Fineprint is reminiscent of the more friendly Australian style café and has been one of our favourite places to sit down for a smooth cup of coffee and slice of avocado toast since it opened in 2016. But how does one build up a café to pour such fine tasting coffee? We sat down with Founder and Managing Director, Scottie Callaghan (who also happens to be a winner of the Australian Barista Contest and world latte art champion) to find out more.
Name: Scottie Callaghan
Profession: Coffee roaster, barista, wine drinker and business owner
Industry: Food and beverage
Start up since: November 2016
Tell us about your business.
Fineprint is a bakery, coffee roaster and café, cocktail and wine bar.
What’s behind the name Fineprint?
Details matter to us, and the detail is in the ‘Fineprint’. Details that are often overlooked or cut out to cut costs matter to us. We believe that our customers appreciate the difference those details bring to the experience.
Tell me about your best and worst day at work?
My worst day was probably our first day opening. I was the only person working in the café, and we had no staff at that time. The total sales for that day was HK$250 -- which was a bit worrying. Now, we have over 20 staff.
My best days are any day that I am on the tools behind the bar working with the team. When everything is running smoothly, there's good music playing, customers are in a good mood, there's a bit of banter going on, and service is smooth. When all the pieces fit into place it’s a great vibe.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
I hang with my wife and kids or go running in the mountains.
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Looking back now, what would you have done differently?
I would have waited another 6 months or so before opening our second store. Our second store is great, and it's doing well now, but the first 6 months of that baby were very very hard work. If we had taken another 6 months to plan it all, it would have been easier.
What is a normal work day like for you?
Every day is different. Some days I catch the 3:40am ferry, and I'm in the shop at 4:30am setting up with the team. Some days I don’t start until midday because I need to work with the bar team. On Wednesdays, I go to the roastery to roast our coffee. Some days I work from home so that there are no distractions and I can work on the business or catch up on admin. Other days are meeting days. It is a real challenge trying to prioritise correctly.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start up?
Do it. Find the courage, spread your wings and fly. Don’t wait until you are too old and live with regret.
What would you be doing if you weren’t doing what you do now?
I would probably be working for a coffee roasting business in Australia.
As a child, what did you aspire to be?
A chef.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
Opening our first café on Peel Street in Central and building the business. I overcame it by working from 4:30am until 6:00pm, 6 days a week. I was serving our customers and putting my heart and soul into the atmosphere, music and customer connection, along with our coffee and dishes.
Why did you decide to start up in Hong Kong?
I believed that there was a gap in the market. Australian style cafés are becoming popular the world over and there wasn’t one in Hong Kong yet. So, I wanted to give it a go here.
If you were to invest in another start up, which would it be?
I would love to try a fast food style café in the heart of Kowloon side, right in the middle of Mong Kok or somewhere similar.
What are your goals for 2020? And in the near future?
Open more Fineprints.
How hands-on are you?
Very. I’m a serious foodie. I love our sourdough, our coffee, our food, cocktails and wine. I cannot learn how do be the best at all of them, but I want to get my hands into all of those things.
How do you define success? Do you consider yourself successful?
Success is having some of the things that money can buy, and all of the things that money cannot buy.
Am I successful? In terms of that definition I have a religion I love, a beautiful and amazing wife, three beautiful and awesome kids, a great team to work with, good friends, and I love Fineprint and what we have built so far.
Fineprint Locations:
G/F, 38 Peel St, SoHo, Central; +852 5503 6880
G/F, 1 Lily Street, Tai Hang; +852 5331 5205
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