THE owner of a well-loved coffee shop in Basingstoke's town centre has shared some of her most treasured memories after putting the business up for sale three years after opening.
Mary Stevens, the owner of Willows Coffee House, in Church Street, has put the cafe on the market after deciding to retire.
Willows, which has fast become a community hot spot, first opened its doors on August 8, 2020, during the height of the Covid lockdown.
Mary, who lives in Dummer, said: "Sadly my health isn't what it was and my business partner is unable to take Willows on due to family commitments, so I am looking for someone, or a couple, who want to support and run Willows so it can continue its successful path."
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It will come as sad news to many regular customers because since opening it's quickly become a popular destination for coffee lovers, crafters, event-goers and shoppers alike.
The 59-year-old told the Gazette she opened the coffee shop because she wanted to "put something back into Basingstoke" and provide a community space for residents in the midst of the pandemic while other shops in Festival Place were shut.
The well-loved shop is named after Mary's five-year-old cockapoo Willow and when speaking to the Gazette Mary looked back on her time at the shop and prepared to say an emotional goodbye.
Throughout the years Willows has been a pillar in the community and Mary and her business partner Oliver Kirkham are known to support many Love Basingstoke events, including the popular starting point for the Basingstoke Festival Parade, Diwali Parade and the Streets Alive Project.
It regularly hosts its own events too including craft markets, art and artisan fairs, live music, puppy walking, meditation and art classes.
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Talking about her favourite memories Mary said: "One of my favourite memories is the Basingstoke Festival, it was just absolutely brilliant to be a part of.
"Another time the former Basingstoke mayor Councillor Onnalee Cubitt came along when we did one of our craft fairs. It was awful that day it was like a hurricane during the storms we had last year."
Mary also said she would like to say a huge thank you to all her loyal customers.
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She continued: "I think just generally the customers have to be a top memory because they are all so lovely and they just keep coming back. The fact that staff already have their drinks ready before they walk in the door is lovely to see.
"Painting this place before we opened was also a great memory, especially when you see what it looked like before."
Another highlight for the popular coffee shop came this year when the business won the Inspire Business Award for diversity and inclusion for its work in the community, welcoming everyone from any community, age, ability, race, orientation and identity.
Mary added: "It was brilliant because we work with everyone from whatever background here and we are not judgemental at all. A lot of the people that work here are either gay or transgender so people know we are not doing it for money, we are doing it because we actually want to support people."
As Mary waves goodbye to the cafe, she hopes someone "who loves the place as much as her" will buy the coffee shop and continue its legacy.
Anyone interested in buying it should contact Anderson Moore Business Brokers for more information at 01264 891035 or Keith Green at 07855 043599.
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