THE BIT ABOUT ME
Hi there, my name is Sarah and I am the owner of Number Thirteen.
Since I was 15 years old I have wanted to own my own cafe, it’s a dream held by many, but realiSed by few. I always knew I was going to get there eventually, but to be honest I thought I would be realising my dream in my 50’s, not my 30’s. Nevertheless, here we are and my dream has become a reality.
I have worked in various cafes and restaurants over the past 16 years, starting at 'Off The Rails' here in Knaresborough when I was 15 years old. It was working here that sparked that first interest in the hospitality industry, from the food and drink, to service and customer interaction. Over the 4 years I worked there, I developed skills and a work ethic that I have been able to build on and draw from throughout the rest of my working life. Since then I have been to art college, and then to university to study model design and special effects, with a mind to go into television and film, but I always kept coming back to the hospitality industry.
In early 2016, without a particular goal in mind, I set out to New Zealand to find out what the southern hemisphere had to offer. I was at a crossroads and wanted to see if New Zealand held the answers. It was always somewhere I had wanted to visit, so I sold all my possessions, packed a rucksack and off I went. I discovered the unique cafe culture over there and decided to settle in Wellington, find a job, and really live the life of a local for a while. The longer I lived there, the more I knew what I wanted, and that was to own my own coffee shop back home, sooner rather than later, and to bring this unique culture back to the UK with me.
The places I experienced helped me build a solid foundation for what I wanted my coffee shop to be - quality versus quantity, the desire to make a customer leave happy, and to genuinely embrace the lifestyle that comes with owning an independent business - all being at the forefront of the Kiwi coffee experience. Bringing these ideas; as well as a book load of recipes back to the UK, it is time to introduce Kiwi cafe culture to Yorkshire.
A mention here must be made to my parents, Sue and Geoff, without their support there was no way this dream of mine would ever have become a reality. They have helped me every step of the way, along with my entire family and countless friends. From painting walls and putting up shelves, to keeping a keen eye out for bargains in the local charity shop, everyone has played a part in helping me get Number Thirteen off the ground and open to the public.
2020 and beyond…
Since opening in 2018, Number Thirteen has gone from strength to strength. We have featured in a Christmas movie and a BBC property programme; we’ve been awarded an Excellence in Business Award for our eco-credentials and published our own cookbook.
We cannot gloss over the fact that 2020/2021 were marred by the COVID-19 pandemic, but we can say that Number Thirteen made it through relatively unscathed! We adapted to the changing situations as best we could, providing a take-away only service and/or limited seating with implemented social distancing. It was a tough couple of years but we are the stronger for it.
In 2021, we welcomed a new addition to the Number Thirteen family in the form of baby Norah, adding an extra dimension to our working life.
NEW ZEALAND
- there & back again
This is how we do it…
In a world already filled with so many beautiful things, it seemed silly not to take advantage and use them to fill our shelves and adorn our walls.
At Number Thirteen, everything is preloved, upcycled or handmade - from the teaspoons to the tables, the water jugs to the wallpaper. Where possible, everything has been sourced from charity shops, boot fairs, auction houses and garage sales; all in a bid to reduce the shop's carbon footprint, as well as make your experience as enjoyable as possible.
As well as all this, every effort has been made to make sure that our products are made with locally sourced ingredients, supporting local independent businesses, and giving our customers the very best.
Finally; our coffee and tea is ethically imported, sustainable and Fairtrade. Where possible, we also source free range, sustainable and all natural products.
Saving the world,
one cup at a time…
All of our takeaway products, including coffee cups, food containers, takeaway bags, napkins, and straws have been sourced to be either recyclable, biodegradable or compostable.
We also actively promote the use of reusable coffee cups and food containers, reducing the amount of waste created by our shop.
This means that if you bring your own reusable takeaway cup or food container to be filled at Number Thirteen, you will receive 10% off whatever you buy. It’s a double win, you save some pennies and contribute to saving the world at the same time!
