Bean Bank Café

Positive Buzz at The Bean Bank Café 

From the moment you walk in the door, there is an energy that immediately recharges your spirit, and tells you that great things are happening in this place. Maybe it’s the eclectically coloured and playful décor. Maybe it’s the friendly smiles from the people behind the counter. Maybe it’s the aroma of the fresh house blend coffee brewing, or the warm whole wheat bread being sliced, or the heap of homemade Cape Breton pork pies with their sweet date filling and creamy butter frosting. (And not a hint of pork, despite their name.) Whatever the reason, an undeniable feeling of comfort permeates The Bean Bank Café, in downtown Sydney. 
 
When Suzanne Annesty-Udle moved back to Nova Scotia in the early ‘90s, she didn’t do so with a plan to open a fun, stylish Charlotte Street café in mind. In fact, it was tragedy that brought her home. Her mother died suddenly at age 48, causing Suzanne to completely re-evaluate her life, and make a major change. She returned to Sydney with her family, and began looking for work. “When I looked at the jobs that were available, it was either evening work or weekend work,” she says, “and that just didn’t sit well with me. I knew how precious life was, and I wanted to spend as much time with my children as I could, especially because of the circumstances that brought me back.”
 
The inspiration for The Bean Bank Café came from an unlikely source: a television commercial for a gourmet instant coffee. Seeing that ad made Suzanne reminisce about the mochas she used to enjoy when she lived away, and brought her to the realization that there was nowhere to enjoy such beverages in Sydney at the time. Despite the obstacles of reluctant lending institutions and a deep recession, a solid business plan was developed, and The Bean Bank Café opened in 1994 as a one-room, four-table coffee spot with a handful of items on the menu, “People told me it wouldn’t work, that I was crazy,” she recalls, “but here I am, 15 years later. I’m doing it, and I’m happy every day.”
 
Now, you’d never guess that this bright, busy five-room café sprouted from such tough times and humble beginnings. The gigantic chalkboard menu displays a delicious array of choices, ranging from fancy flavoured lattes to healthy, homemade comfort foods. Everything is made from scratch, with unprocessed ingredients and customer preferences in mind. “We roast our own meat for our sandwiches. Our coffee is fresh ground using the best beans we can get, and we cater to individuals,” Suzanne says. “For me, it’s not just about the money. I have to make a living, but I want to make a difference at the same time. So I want people to know that this food is good for them. And when you eat well, you live better. Quality of life, quality of products, quality in everything. That’s what I believe in.”
 
Living better is the heart and soul of The Bean Bank Café’s business. This means offering fair-trade organic teas and coffees,and nutritious foods, and providing a positive atmosphere for the 10 staff members and hundreds of customers that might come through the door in the run of a day. Living well is also at the heart and soul of Suzanne Annesty-Udle’s personal philosophy, and essentially, it was that desire to live a better quality of life that drew her back to Nova Scotia, and into entrepreneurship. Knowing the value of time spent with family, and of living and working in a beautiful, life-affirming place has enabled her to meet the challenges of running her own business with an attitude of optimism and gratitude. It’s a feeling she wants to share with each and every one of her customers. “At 10:15 in the morning, when this place is usually full, I can stand back for a moment, close my eyes, and listen to people talking, laughing, and enjoying their time here. That makes me so proud,” she says. “I know that every day is a gift, and you have to live it to the fullest. And I’m offering people a place where they can do that.” Without a doubt, The Bean Bank Café, and Nova Scotia itself share some common ground. That positive, uplifting energy – the one that recharges the spirit, and tells you that great things are happening - is buzzing in both places.