Remo’s

Broomhill’s very own Italian Job.
Interview by David Edwards.

In December 2000, Remo Simeone set out to bring the experience of a typical Italian cafe to Broomhill. Thirteen years later, Remo’s has become an established part of the local community.It has just re-opened following an extensive refurbishment, which has trebled the floor space and added a delicatessen and a full kitchen offering a carefully selected menu of Italian influenced cooking.

The longevity of Remo’s is striking given the proliferation of Starbucks, Costa, Cafe Nero et al. It has become a tough ask to sustain an independent cafe, as evidenced by the demise of the Manhattan Coffee House on Ecclesall Road and Cream, just down the road from Remo’s.  So how has Remo managed to buck this trend?

From the outset Remo had a clear vision of the experience he wanted his cafe to offer. Although born in this country he spent family holidays in Italy hanging around cafes run by various relatives. These establishments were at the heart of their local communities, priding themselves on the excellence of their coffee, offering friendly service and good, simple food. It was this blueprint that Remo wanted to replicate in Broomhill, even if the start of the process was not that auspicious. Planning permission took almost a year, whilst the physical effort of emptying skip loads of material from the premises before it could be converted to a cafe is still a memory that Remo recalls with a grimace.

“I wanted to offer something authentic based on the cafes that I grew up around in Italy. Broomhill is a reasonably affluent area and people are well travelled. I was hoping that there were enough potential customers who had enjoyed visiting local cafes in Italy, and who would appreciate and enjoy a similar experience when they got back home.” Remo’s hopes were realised as the cafe developed a fiercely loyal and growing customer base, to the point where he was having to turn people away because the small two-room premises was unable to cope with the demand.

Remo had been wanting to expand the cafe for some time, not only in terms of the size of the premises but also the range of food on offer. 2013 seemed the right time to take the plunge. This time planning permission was relatively quick, which Remo puts down to having an established reputation in the area. As he says, “People knew me and they knew I wasn’t going to be attracting a rowdy late night crowd.”

Any small business owner knows that making a major change to the business is a significant undertaking. For Remo the work involved moving the cafe to a nearby vacant premises and continuing to run this as a going concern, whilst overseeing a total re-modelling of the original premises. The seating area was significantly expanded, with a two-floor extension and space for a delicatessen offering a range of Italian cheeses, cooked and cured meats, fish antipasti and more. Meanwhile a full working kitchen was incorporated into the basement area, with the cafe now offering a range of cooked breakfasts and lunches with a distinctive Italian theme. Bistro evenings will be introduced soon. Despite all these changes, it is still the coffee which is at the heart of Remo’s – one of the finest cups in Sheffield (and yes, I do mean cup, as opposed the tankard and bucket options on offer elsewhere).

The refurbished premises opened in November and to date the growth in customers has been even better than Remo had hoped for. So what is the secret of maintaining a successful independent business in a sector swamped by international chains?

“We have had a Costa in Broomhill for a year now. Their competition is a fact of life, but for me, as an independent, the key thing is to offer something that is a bit different. Our customers appreciate that we offer something extra, not only in terms of the quality and range of food and drink on offer, but we also get to know our customers and make a real effort to make them feel welcome.”

Any other advice for aspiring independent cafe proprietors? “For cafes, location is an absolute priority. You need to be easy to get to, with as many potential customers as possible walking past your front door. You also need to match your offer with your potential customers. Remo’s works in Broomhill, but wouldn’t necessarily work elsewhere.

“Experience is also invaluable. I started off working at Nonna’s and had 12 years running the business in Broomhill before expanding to our current level. There is a lot to take into account, not just the sourcing and face to face elements, but also other aspects like cashflow. When we came to expand I was able to draw on this and put together a solid business plan which underpinned the development.”

So has it been worth all the hard work? “I got into this because I wanted to run my own business and I had grown up around cafes. Thirteen years on I am still enjoying it.”

Remo’s is located at 259 Fulwood Road.