The tiny pink coffee and croissant kiosk that's making commuters happy at this Scottish train station

There’s nothing like a coffee to ease the boredom of a commute, or console you when there’s a delay or cancellation.

Hooray, then for East Lothian business, Tuckshop, which recently sprung up in the waiting room at North Berwick train station to offer flat whites, hot chocolate, pastries and other treats.

This cheerful bright pink kiosk is owned by business partners, Krystle Justice and Harriet Nicholass-Mckee. Justice told us a bit more about their enterprise, see below.

How did Tuckshop come into being?

We met 10 years ago in Edinburgh and rekindled our friendship when we both moved to North Berwick four years ago. We wanted to run our own local business and the kiosk at the station had been closed for many years and the waiting room had become quite a sad space. We thought the commuters, locals and tourists would benefit greatly from having a bright coffee space.

What are your backgrounds - any hospitality experience?

Collectively, we’ve worked in many different fields including children’s services, greengrocers, charity shops and Citizens Advice. We both have worked in hospitality but not for many years. Fortunately Edinburgh roaster Machina gave us fantastic full training. We visited Tash in their roastery to get used to the new coffee machine and the high standards they expect from their coffee. This also involves tasting (also known as cupping in the coffee world). Steaming milk has been the hardest part to master and we’re only just starting to form some kind of latte art. We have found Machina extremely supportive and helpful so we are really happy to be working with them. We wanted a good all-rounder that works well with milk or on its own. We particularly loved their South American Clockwork coffee for the rich chocolatey profile that holds lots of body. It suits a range of brewing styles. We also use Eteaket tea and Kokoa Collection single origin hot chocolate.

Why did you go for the cute pink branding?

We have a strong interest in design and wanted to create a space that is welcoming, bright and fun. Kyle McPartlin an excellent and interesting local designer who does all our branding work. We use Decent Packaging pink cups as their ethos with waste is something that is important to us. They are compostable, recyclable and as a company they are B corp and carbon zero certified.

Tuckshop coffee cups | Contributed

Why Company Bakery for some of your cake and pastry offering?

They’re based in East Lothian and their morning buns have been super popular. They do fantastic pastries with consistent great quality and lamination perfection. However, as they have had some issues with delivery times, we don’t always have them in stock. They’re working on this so hopefully it will be rectified soon because the product is top tier and we love supporting and selling them.

What have been the most popular orders?

A flat white is always a favourite. Moma oat milk for the non-dairy version is also very popular. Teamed with one of our freshly baked cookies makes for a winner. We also sell vegan cinnamon buns on a Friday which always sell out quickly.

Have you met any interesting people since opening? Any regulars yet?

We love our regulars. We offer a loyalty card where your eighth drink is on us. It feels satisfying when they are filled. We have many characters that come in for a chat and a coffee which we love. Our demographic is varied. We have lots of commuters in the morning and locals who want a coffee on their early morning dog walk as we open at 7am. There is a large older generation around us who love having us here. One lady with mobility issues said it’s great to have somewhere she is able to get to as she struggles with her walking aid to get to the High Street. This wasn’t something we had considered but we’re absolutely delighted that we can provide this service.

What has the feedback been like so far?

The locals are particularly happy that the train station has some life in it now. We have had an overwhelmingly positive response and are hoping to keep that up. We love to contribute and serve our local community.

Do you know the train timetables by heart now?

We have a pretty good grasp. We know when to expect more commuters and how to cater for the busier times. We really want people to know we’re not just for commuters but an option on the other side of town for dog walkers, beach dwellers and locals. Our busiest times are the mornings and particularly on a Thursday and Friday. It wasn’t our intention to open so late in the year so it has been quiet at times. We’re hoping that keeping our standards high and providing products we are proud of will build our customer base and keep them coming back.

What was the space like before you moved into it, did you have to make any changes?

The space was really tired and needed a lot of TLC. We took inspiration from Chez Paints Nails - a local nail artist who is just over the fence. We love her colour combinations and unique style. Also, North Berwick in Bloom does a fantastic job of maintaining the exterior with beautiful planting. Always a joy to look at.

What do you think of North Berwick’s food scene?

There are lots of great options and we’re happy to be part of that now. We definitely felt there was space for us as there are no coffee takeaway options this side of the town. Part of the great scene are the independent food stores like Wilson’s, a green grocer which provides fresh local produce. Another is Peppermint Beach that stocks wholefoods and other alternative goods that are ethically produced which is definitely needed in this day and age. That’s something that we aim to do ourselves.

What were the challenges involved in setting the business up?

The biggest challenges came with our shoestring budget, We only had a small amount to start up and the space needed quite a lot of work. We put quite a lot of pressure on ourselves to get it right and up until the last moment we felt quite worried and let down by contractors. Luckily it all came together at the end as a young local woodworking enthusiast Jamie Cowan came to our rescue and did an excellent job.

Follow Tuckshop at Instagram @tuckshopnb