‘I used to work in Starbucks… now my business is worth £1.2m’

Thanasis Michael had been surrounded by coffee for as long as he could remember.

From working at two popular coffee chains to serving customers at the M&S Café in the Arndale, coffee had always been at the heart of everything he did.

So when he got the opportunity to open his own café, he grabbed it with both hands – and hasn’t looked back since.

Michael’s Coffee House now holds two locations in Manchester city centre, one in the Royal Exchange and another in the Arndale.

Incredibly, the business is now estimated to be worth a whopping £1.2m.

But Thanasis’ journey to the top wasn’t easy. It all started when the 34-year-old moved to Manchester from Cyprus in 2013 to escape the country’s economic crisis.

Having previously worked at Gloria Jean’s Coffees back home, Thanasis, who was in his early 20s at the time, decided to get a job at the M&S Café in the Arndale Centre.

He later secured a job at Starbucks, first at the Trafford Centre and later at the Arndale.

It was during his time at the popular coffee chain that he first got the idea to open his own café.

A coffee shop franchise owner his dad knew back in Greece encouraged him to pursue the idea – even suggesting they open a shop in Manchester together.

Dad-of-one Thanasis, who lives in Miles Platting, scouted several different locations but the franchise owner eventually stopped responding to his messages.

Determined to move forward with his dream, Thanasis decided to open the café himself.

“I showed him a location but he never responded back to my message,” the 34-year-old told the Manchester Evening News. “I said, ‘I’ll open it myself,’ I was persistent. I told him I would do it myself.”

With limited financial resources, Thanasis approached several banks for a loan to kickstart his business but faced repeated rejections.

“They didn’t even listen to me or look at my business plan,” Thanasis, who was aged 25 at the time, recalls.

The budding entrepreneur says one bank finally saw potential in his proposed business and approved a loan.

With help from his cousin, who travelled from Cyprus to assist with funding, Thanasis opened Michael’s Coffee House in August 2017.

“I went to a lot of banks to get a loan because I had no money at all,” he added. “All the banks rejected me.

“It was really tough. They told me they didn’t give loans to restaurants and coffee shops because they’re high-risk businesses and I was only 25.

“Only one bank reviewed my business plan and was very impressed with it. They said they liked the plan.”

Before long, Michael’s Coffee House was a popular spot in Manchester city centre – the Royal Exchange location becoming known for its quality coffee and treats including pastries, croissants, vegan and dairy yogurt pots and homemade toasties.

Signature drinks like the Pistachio Latte also became customer favourites.

But Thanasis faced more challenges after the pandemic when his cousin decided to leave the business and return to Cyprus, prompting Thanasis to purchase his shares and take full ownership of the firm.

Despite the challenges, Michael’s Coffee House continued to thrive – with business growing year after year.

Incredibly, in 2024, things were going so well with the company that Thanasis was able to open a second location at the Arndale Centre.

The café opened its doors on December 2, both sites now employing a total of 24 members of staff.

“I’m happy to be honest,” Thanasis said. “I’m pleased. Everything has been through hard work, working day, night and weekends and sacrificing a lot to be where we are now.

“You need to be persistent in life. You can’t take no for an answer; you need to fight for it and don’t be afraid.

“You need to believe in yourself. That is very important – no one else will believe in you.”

Thanasis now hopes to expand further into prime locations including the Trafford Centre and Piccadilly Station.

On January 20, 2025, Michael’s Coffee House is set to celebrate its new Arndale opening with a special 50 per cent discount on beverages.

This post was originally published on here