I started buying my flat white’s from Ground Floor Coffee sometime awhile ago. Knew their presence from social medias platform and word of mouth. Uniquely known for their serving station via their room window from a ground level HDB apartment. They are located a few blocks away, we came from the same neigbourhood. Eastsider’s got each other back for sure. Believe it or not, the first time I struck a conversation with Hasif, founder of GFC, over at the window, it lasted at least 2-3 hours. That chat eventually build a friendship, sharing creative perspective,business ideas and even worked on a collaboration release for merchandise together. It was organic. Got to share with him that somewhere over in Brooklyn, New York, a latina chef did something similar. Stephanie Bonnin runs La Tropi Kitchen by the window of her house and strongly supported by the community.
We managed to collaborate and released a limited run of t-shirts. Humbled, because GFC really chose who they felt like working with. So we are blessed. Lol. It was a satisfaction process. Constantly sharing each other business progress and plans. There were a few times when I was there filming and photographing Hasif at work and observing his operation with a diversity of customers from different age groups. One common thing is, they never left without a mandatory GFC cuppa’ against the “Window” picture for their Instagram post.
Recently, we spoke over something upsetting. A broadcasting team came and filmed & interviewed GFC and put it up on Tik Tok upon his permission. The video eventually went viral. With a lot of positive comments getting people to be curious and wanting to get their “Espresso by the window” experience but it also came with those low-life “Karen’s” or “Scums” who always try to fail people businesses and doing the number one Singapore’s favourite job of being “Kaypoh”. Eventually, HDB officers came over and get GFC to remove all branding, stickers & bunting’s after a complaint was made. For running a home-based business, Hasif had all his list checked from being a registered company, to getting certified in hygiene & food handling course & also taking pre orders only. At the end of the day, humans doens’t like it when the other party getting a little more attention or probably, that person who lodged a complaint runs a business and felt threatened or the unfairness because they ain’t creative enough? There’s so many possibilities. But GFC told us that they won’t stop there. Something bigger is coming in 2024. For us, as a community based joint, we are always supporting local, small businesses, creatives, makers, artists and more. I really felt that this story need to goes out to all and make it a lesson to safe guard your small businesses against all this hate outside at all time. Never let them bring you down and together as a community, we must support our local businesses so it can be a continuous eco system.
“We hope that we inspired other small businesses to think outside the box and go beyond their comfort zone and not to be scared to try new ideas. Like when people say’s home based business is only a side hustle, we want to change that mindset and prove that home based business is the start to everything. Don’t limit your imagination”. – Ground Floor Coffee
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