An Inverness shop which sells doughnuts by day and cocktails by night will continue to thrive despite sweet treat competition says its owner.
Perk Coffee & Doughnuts on Church Street is run by Nicole Mclennan.
The cafe also operates as a cocktail bar – offering mini doughnuts and dessert-like cocktails.
Nicole will continue to focus on keeping standards high at her eatery and isn’t worried about the addition of a Krispy Kreme on High Street.
Perk Coffee & Doughnuts offers something unique in Inverness, says owner
Nicole has seen her business grow year-on-year with its unique double-up of doughnuts and drinks adding to the success.
She said: “Perk has come a long way in its five-and-a-bit years – I had to teach myself how to run a business.
“I also wasn’t much of a baker at the beginning but it’s safe to say I am now.
“What we offer is different to anyone else and I wish Krispy Kreme the best – we’re two different products.
“The way I’ve always done it is to focus on ourselves – where we can improve, where we’re thriving. As long as we do that we’ll continue to see a success.”
Nicole’s plan to add a “proper artisan coffee shop” to Inverness has been met with “overwhelming support” since the very start.
She said: “I would genuinely say the summer is full of tourists but we’re driven by our local community.
“The regulars are something else, we treat them like family – after all they’re here week on week.”
How the hunt for a decent flat white is behind the business
After studying criminology at university, Nicole came home and was on the hunt for a decent coffee in the capital of the Highlands.
She said: “I was planning to save cash and move to New Zealand, but life had a different plan.
“I couldn’t find a decent flat white in Inverness – my friend, who has his own business, said just open your own shop.
“After planting the seed with some investors they said yes to helping to fund my business.
“I never had the cash myself, it wasn’t the plan at all – but I had a unique pull and I love doughnuts.”
Nicole wasn’t a baker before opening Perk, but said it’d be fair to say she is now. She spent weeks on books and videos and started making doughnuts.
Nicole added: “I couldn’t find any chefs so I decided it’s going to have to be me.
“There were hundreds and hundreds of bad ones before I made a good one.
“Running a business isn’t what I expected it to be at all. I’m lucky to have my sister who has been with me since the start.
“We sometimes work 16-18 hours shift, it’s a huge graft. You barely fall asleep and then all of a sudden it’s time to be back in the kitchen.”
Adding a cocktail twist
Nicole has experience managing bars and restaurants and said the cocktail side of Perk Coffee & Doughnuts made “complete sense”.
She said: “We’re in the centre of town and close at 3pm – it felt like a wasted opportunity.
“As a dessert specialist in Inverness, why not tie in cocktails and doughnuts?
“It’s been running for just over a year and has seen a lot of success so far.”
The cocktail bar opened for the first time in September 2022, with the team serving up espresso martinis – made using coffee from Scottish firm Dear Green.
Mini doughnuts, dessert-like cocktails, including a Biscoff martini, and mini doughnut bites are available.
Conversation