Given the hurricane of problems that have been thrown the way of small businesses in recent years, it’s been a while since anyone thought it was the right time to start one.
Brexit, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis have followed quickly on each other’s heels and the hospitality sector has been hammered harder than most.
It was a challenging landscape full of masks and restrictions when Tristan Aitchison and Fernando Basaldua Bazaldua took the leap and started Xoko, their bakehouse and coffee bar in Inverness’s Bridge Street.
They had dreams of running their own place one day and, newly unemployed during the pandemic, the couple decided to take the leap.
Fast forward three and a bit years and Xoko has built up a loyal following, quickly establishing itself as an institution in the Highland capital.
“We didn’t expect it,” said Tristan. “When we opened everyone was wearing a mask.
“There were no overseas tourists and we just had a selection of pastries, sourdough bread and two menu items.
“It’s really pleasing what has happened since then. We’ve grown every year and feel like we’ve become a fixture in the community.”
Xoko’s local success a point of pride
That community aspect is really important to Xoko’s owners.
Tourists undoubtedly contribute to a summertime boom.
But the fact that the cafe is busy all year round highlights its success with locals, something Tristan and Fernando are particularly proud of.
Tristan said: “It’s about what we can provide for Inverness and the wider Highland community.
“Of course it’s great that we’re really busy in summer. But we are busy in winter too, because it’s full of locals.
“Xoko is doing well. But it is hard work and the team here do everything they can to keep the quality and consistency as high as we can.”
The highs have been great. And the Xoko team are happy to be a part of an Inverness city centre that has been enjoying a bit of resurgence, with several new independent traders making their mark.
Outpouring of support following vandalism
But as Tristan alluded to, it’s not all been sunshine and rainbows.
The bakehouse has had to deal with repeated antisocial behaviour incidents where its prominent pride flag has been ripped down.
It has happened 10 times in the past year alone.
Those setbacks have been disappointing. However, they have at least prompted an outpouring of support from the local community.
“It’s normal for businesses like us to exist in forward-thinking countries,” Tristan said.
“And I’m embarrassed that it still does happen.
“But the positive thing is the backing we get as a business, not just from the LGBTQ+ community but from people all across the Highlands.
“They show us that the incidents are not reflective of the area we live in.”
The Inverness staffing challenge
Like it is for many other north hospitality businesses, the scarcity of staff is also a huge challenge.
There are a lot of school-aged kids interested in working at Xoko. But it’s a completely different story for the adult population.
Poor public transport also limits their options for people living outside the city centre, as the job requires early morning starts when bus services are either limited or non-existent.
Stumping up taxi fares to get staff to work on time is often the only viable option.
“There is a lack of adults available to work,” Tristan said. “It’s been extremely difficult for us. But our staff retention has been very good.”
Xoko’s expansion plans
Things are moving in the right direction and plans have been lodged for Xoko to expand into a unit in nearby Castle Wynd.
All going well, it’ll serve as a space for them to move their production to, allowing them to rejig the original home in Bridge Street.
A prominent Inverness business owner recently told me: “There are so many great independent businesses in Inverness and I’d have to say my favourite right now is XOXO [sic].”
It seems even some of their biggest fans are still getting to grips with Xoko’s name. Allow me to put you in the picture.
It’s not named after a friendly text message sign-off.
Or a Beyonce song.
And there is no Z sound to be found.
It is pronounced “shaw-ko”. It comes from the ancient Nahuatl language, which was spoken by the Aztecs, a nod to Fernando’s Mexican heritage.
The name means “the village where the bitter fruit grows”. It is thought to be the origin of the word chocolate.
After explaining the story behind it – and probably for not even the first time that day – Tristan laughed: “Or as a lot of people call us ‘the place across from Primark’.”
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