Dean Village Coffee House under new ownership

Two friends of more than 20 years have swapped catching up over coffee for owning the coffee house, after taking over Dean Village Coffee House, located in one of Edinburgh’s most picturesque areas.

Emma Marshall and Grace McNeil Hann became the majority owners of the Dean Village cafe in August, with Grace’s partner Ben joining them in the new venture.

With Grace and Ben already calling Dean Village home, the cafe was a familiar part of everyday life long before the opportunity arose to take it on.

One of the priorities for the new owners was to retain the community feel already established at the coffee house. All of the existing staff have stayed on following the change of ownership, while Ben’s mum has joined the family venture and manages the day-to-day running of the venue.

Grace said: “Emma and I have been friends for more than 20 years, so it’s really exciting to be starting this new chapter together. The cafe already had such a wonderful community around it and the welcome we’ve had since taking over has been incredible.

“We want it to be somewhere people keep coming back to – whether that’s for a great coffee, a locally made cake or a good chat with our friendly team.”

While keen to keep everything customers already love about the coffee house, the new owners have also been busy putting their own stamp on it.

The frontage has been given a fresh new look designed to fit in comfortably with the character and surroundings of historic Dean Village. The café’s bespoke coffee cups feature an illustration of the village. 

Emma said: “We wanted to bring a little more character to the cafe while making sure it still feels completely at home in Dean Village.”

Situated beside the Water of Leith, Dean Village Coffee House welcomes regulars from the local community alongside visitors from all over the world exploring the historic village.

Emma added: “It’s lovely seeing people discover Dean Village for the first time. They’re often amazed that somewhere so peaceful can be just a short walk from the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh city centre.

“We’re excited to see what’s ahead and to build on everything people already love about Dean Village Coffee House, while adding a little of our own personality.

“And after more than 20 years of friendship, it turns out going into business together has given us plenty more to talk about over coffee!”

Dean Village Coffee House is open seven days a week.

@deanvillagecoffee

Pictured, left-right: Ben, Grace and Emma