Woman, 21, skips university to open coffee shop

9 hours ago

Vikki IrwinSuffolk political reporter

Mia Wallace was 20 years old when she took over the lease on a cafe in Lowestoft

Martin Giles/BBC Mia Wallace is behind the counter of a coffee shop. You can see the coffee machine in the background. She is wearing a white T-shirt and black apron. — Mia Wallace was 20 years old when she took over the lease on a cafe in Lowestoft

A 21-year-old Suffolk woman has decided to open her own coffee shop rather than go to university, bucking the national trend of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).

More than a million young people aged 16 to 24 are deemed to be 'NEETs' according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) - whilst a recent review of why it's happening, the Milburn report, warned that things are only "getting worse".

However, Mia Wallace, who took on premises in London Road North in Lowestoft last November, said there is nothing to stop young people going out on their own.

"Definitely jump into it while you're young and don't think about it too much," she said.

The cafe was known as the Salty Crow before Mia Wallace refurbished and re-branded the coffee shop

Martin Giles/BBC The outside of Dolly's coffee shop, there are chairs and tables. The front of the shop is glass and the shop signage says "Dolly's". — The cafe was known as the Salty Crow before Mia Wallace refurbished and re-branded the coffee shop

Wallace gave her premises a new look and name and reopened them last month as Dolly's Coffee.

"I started working in a local cafe and realised I didn't want to go to university, and the only thing that I wanted to do was to have a little coffee shop - so the only way up was to save up," she said.

She continued: "There will be the hard bits, but yeah, while you're young, that's when you should go for it."

Wallace, who grew up in Kessingland, had to pitch her idea to family and friends to raise the money and get support to make her dream a reality.

She said: "I had so much help from family, but I also had to go through the process of doing online business courses and gained a lot of knowledge through my previous job as well."

On being the boss, she said: "I don't have anyone looking over my shoulder, and it's really nice because it's just relaxed."

Mia Wallace with her mum, Sue Wallace: Mia said she had to "pitch" the idea of the coffee shop to her family to get support

Martin Giles/BBC Mia and Sue Wallace are standing close to each other behind the counter of a coffee shop. There is a large menu on the wall in the background. Mia is wearing a white T-shirt and black apron. Sue is wearing a white, pink and green striped T-shirt with a black apron. — Mia Wallace with her mum, Sue Wallace: Mia said she had to "pitch" the idea of the coffee shop to her family to get support

Her mum, Sue Wallace, helps out at the cafe and said her daughter "just flew with it", adding: "We are unbelievably proud of her and we knew it was something she always wanted."

She continued: "From setting up as a sole trader business owner to making phone calls for orders and the council and everything.

"I didn't know anything about running a business. I'm just kind of in there as a bit of a support for when she got a little bit stuck, but she's just done pretty much all of it herself."

Mia Wallace would like to own more coffee shops.

Former Pakefield High School pupil Wallace said she is still learning the ropes of her new business, but has ambitions for the future too.

She said: "I would love to have multiple small coffee shops. I think that would be the goal. I'd also like to be able to have a van and go to events. I definitely do want to expand and do more."

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