How did you come up with the concept of your café? And why did you name it “confetti”?
I wanted to create a café for moms that is kid-friendly but not a kids’ café and that’s why I thought of confetti as a name. I have lived many years in Germany. Over there, it is very common to walk into a café that serves only Ice cream and coffee. This German idea of a café for ‘hot and cold’ appealed to me greatly and I started “Confetti”. Moreover, Confetti alludes to fun, bright colors, and also the sweets we sell here! This was our concept originally and we gradually introduced savory dishes because we noticed a demand for it.
My aim was to provide a cozy place for moms to relax over good quality food and coffee served in a fine mug and not in a cheap paper cup like it is done in regular play areas. As a mother myself, I know how stressful it can be for moms and I want Confetti Cafe to be a perfect place for moms to really ‘chill out’ without worrying about the safety of their kids.
What activities can kids do while the moms chat?
We wanted moms to feel comfortable as if they were sitting with a friend in their own living room. We do not have noisy activities for kids, it’s all about puzzles, wooden toys, coloring books, stories etc
What do you think makes you stand out from all the other cafes in the areas?
First of all, Confetti Cafe is meant for both moms and kids, unlike other cafes that are focused only on kids. I am always here ☺ so is my son. This my business but I am also a mom. I have seen other places that are supposed to be kid-friendly but they compromise on quality. When I saw such poor conditions, I decided that in my cafe the play-area of kids will be clean, safe, and well-lit. I pick up my son from his nursery next door and it is here, that he spends his afternoons. Every day is a playdate for him! That is why we prefer that the kids play with wooden toys rather than plastic. Everything here has my own personal touch. I am a good eater, so whatever is being served in our café is also what we enjoy eating. The recipes are all my own and we do not compromise on Quality.
What would you order in your own restaurant?
I would order the Spaghetti Heaven and Waffle. The most popular item on the menu is the Ice cream. Instead of syrups, we use natural fruit purees that are sweet by nature and do not require any added sugar.
Did you face any challenges? Any advice you would like to give for a mother who would like to open their own café?
I didn’t have a challenge with the café itself. My husband is very supportive of my project and I love what I do. The challenges I faced were with the system and in setting up the governmental issues, Wifi, Dewa, and permits. Because things work differently here than in Germany. Also, things are much more expensive here, that is why there is always a struggle.
I would advise any mom-entrepreneur to focus all her energy on her initial project, and then plan on the improvement, on the direction and on evolving.
What values would you like to install in your kid?
To be nice and thankful because we are like a family in this café. I would also want him to be grateful. I want him to be happy enjoying the simple things and not get used to the fancy things that kids are constantly exposed to here in Dubai
At the end of the day I want him to be happy – sit on the beach, take a ball and play outside and be happy. That is how we celebrate birthdays here, simple and fun.
Tell us more about that? What kind of birthdays do you host in your café?
We do not host fancy parties and over the top decoration. The concept is for parents to sit, relax, and enjoy quality food while the kids play the traditional, nice games we grew up with. It’s not about the bouncy castle and loud activities. Kids are not appreciative of this anymore because they don’t know how much it costs and it is becoming normal for them. They would have the same joy, if not more, by egg-racing outside and playing other games. The only thing we do “Dubai style” is the baby shark Mascot or a regular clown.
We also do not use the usual sugary-icing on our cakes at all. Our cakes are decorated with cookies and cream.
Quotes to live by?
“Set a date and do what you need to do. Jump to action and do not wait for anyone else. Things will eventually fall into place.”