WebAugSep17

42 | www.westendermagazine.com
Christmas 2016 at Vinicombe Street
Dean Marriott from Dean’s Deli on Byres
Road is also successfully using social media
to market his business, preferring Instagram
over Facebook and Twitter to promote his
great coffee, home baking, sandwiches and
melts.
He explains he posts real time, real life
pictures, ‘what you see on our Instagram
feed is what goes out to our customers.
It’s a quick snap when we are preparing
something. I don’t want to add filters or
photoshop and make things look too good
then not deliver it! We have great interaction
with our customers on social media.’
Pass the coffee shop on any day of the week
and you will see it busy with locals, students
and passing trade and for 29 year old Dean
its been a long held ambition to run his own
business. He went solo last October after
working for several years with the Di’Maggios
group, gaining experience in the bar and
restaurant trade, and he thinks his successful
start up has been down to delivering what his
customers want.
‘It was really apparent from the word go
that folk were not looking for a traditional
delicatessen, he explains, ‘We asked what
people would like to see and have built up
the business from there, so the majority of
our menu has been picked by our regular
clientele. In the West End it can be expensive
to grab a coffee or eat out, so a key focus
for us is affordability. We aim to offer great
quality home made food and cakes that don’t
cost the earth, and our coffee is under £2.’
This ability to adapt to the local market and
change business plan is what has made
Dean’s so successful, as the idea at first
had been to run a traditional deli. ‘Its really
important to be open to changing course
but at the same time you need a clear plan
when it comes to running your own business.
I am pretty focused and a details man. I
knew I could run a deli but it was vital to be
able to adapt when we moved in a different
direction.’
Dean, like both Kevin and Alec, is passionate
about his business. ‘It’s great to be part of
something new he sums up, I have been
welcomed into the local community and have
much to achieve. I saved all my life to get
here and now I am focussed on getting on
with the job!’
deansdelicoffee.co.uk
raindogssociety.com
trakke.co.uk
Image I Gregor Reid