Hayley Cullington says she hasn't looked back since taking over Fancy Pants Café in November. (Photo: Cheyenne Nelson)
Hayley Cullington had been working at Fancy Pants Café in Bridgewater since it opened a few years ago.
Interacting with the customers and hearing their stories while serving coffee and goods had quickly became the highlight of her day.
So when she was approached last May to take over the business entirely, she knew it was an opportunity she couldn’t turn down.
“The café means a lot to the community, so I couldn’t let it go anywhere else,” she said, “I had to say yes.”
After a few months of mentoring, Cullington and her husband Neil took ownership of the popular café in November, and haven’t looked back since.
While taking over a business under regular circumstances can be a daunting task, doing it during a global pandemic that has shut down many businesses permanently could be seen by some as ludicrous.
However outside of a bit of uncertainty, Cullington said the transition has been quite organic.
“Everyday I had to look at it and trust my gut that this was a good plan,” she said.
“I feel like there is very little certainty in everything right now, but having a cup of coffee in your day really helps it start off right. So everyday being around the café, interacting with customers, it made me feel like it wasn’t so scary.
“Everyone kept saying ‘You’ll be okay, we love this place.’ Their motivation has really kept me going.”
Largely, the café has remained the same, something Cullington hopes to continue, however a few early changes were made last year to ensure the safety of staff and customers during the pandemic.
“Before we were able to open up the doors, we had kind of a walk up window,” she said.
“So its not a drive thru, you get out of your car and walk up, and that’s what we were using for a really long time which made it feel really safe for our staff to come back.”
Outside of precautionary changes, much has stayed the same, including the support of local businesses and suppliers.
“Being able to support local business, and work with local farmers is something very important to me and the café,” she said.
“I took on all the retailers we used before. Those relationships have fostered over the last five years and are really strong, which is great. Especially during this time of uncertainty for them as well, as we are selling some of their product and it gives them some stability.”
Cullington, originally from Ontario, fell in love with Nova Scotia when she visited during her high school years. After attending Kings in Halifax and moving back to Ontario to pursue schooling to become a teacher, she and her Husband Neil, who co-owns the café, decided they wanted to move East.
After living off the grid for a few years, having two children and working at the café, she said the proposal to take over the business came at the perfect time.
“Michelle kind of asked me if I was interested in taking over,” she said.
“I was kind of figuring out if I wanted to return to teaching as I was coming off maternity leave at the time. I thought about it, and decided this place was something really important to me.
“Michelle kind of mentored me to take over the business. It was a very nice, slow transition on how to run a café.”
The café is now running through both its pickup window, as well as indoor service, and offers coffee, lattes, smoothies, breakfast and lunch foods as well as healthy and diet specific options. Cullington hopes to bring back an old favourite as well in the near future – Pizza Night.
With files from Cheyenne Nelson
