THE owners of the popular Coffee House Bistro on the Stewartstown Road have described the last 21 years as "a bliss" after announcing their retirement.
Jim and Mary McIlwaine will step aside on July 31, with new owners set to take over the local establishment the following day.
Opened in March 2003, The Coffee House Bistro has gone on to scoop multiple awards including Andersonstown News' Best of the West awards for ‘Best Fry’ and ‘Best Coffee Shop’ for four years running.
"Myself and Mary were involved in furniture/giftware and seasonal goods before we decided to go into catering and opened the Coffee House Bistro in March 2003," explained Jim. "The last 21 years has been an absolute bliss. There is no better community in West Belfast than this one here.
"We have developed fantastic relationships with our customers over the years.
"Customers comes from the word custom and they have kept coming back to us, some three or four days a week, some once a week, some once a month. A business is nothing without the support of customers.
"Our staff are all from the local area. They are salt of the earth.
"We were honoured to win Best of the West titles for ‘Best Fry’ and ‘Best Coffee Shop’ for four years running before we sponsored it. It is a great initiative and we fully support it.
Jim McIlwaine with the bumper Coffee House fry
"Announcing our retirement to the staff was extremely emotional. Reading all the comments on social media was very emotional for myself and Mary.
"It has been on our minds since Covid which was a really tough time but we managed to bounce back."
As for the future, it will be business as usual at the Coffee Home come August 1, minus seeing Jim, Mary and daughter Caitlin who also works there.
"The new owners, I have known for around 15 years. They are in a few businesses including owning a similar place to the Coffee House," Jim added. "They are lovely people. It will be a smooth transition over to them with the same staff, same name and same menu.
"All of the staffs' jobs are secured by the new owner and hopefully our customers will all still continue to support them in the same way they have all supported us over the past 21 years. The only thing missing will be Jim, Mary and Caitlin McIlwaine.
"It will be very sad but the time is right. We are retiring on our own terms which we are very lucky to do so.
"We are retiring from work but not from life. We have no major plans at the moment, just to enjoy it and see what retirement brings.
"We are proudly bowing out knowing that we have always owned and operated the Best Coffee House with the best staff and the best customers in the best place in the world – West Belfast.
"That will certainly keep us smiling wherever we are in the world throughout our retirement."
