Coffee shops make perfect spaces to engage in lively conversation – conversation that is often intimate and engaging – and the cosier the coffee shop is, the more intimate it is and in turn, the more hands-on the owner is. This is exactly the feeling you get as soon as you step into Hillbrewed Coffee Co. Nestled on the corner of 4th and Voorhout Street in New Doornfontein, the cosy coffee shop is the brainchild of Tebogo ‘Tebza’ Mabye and would be mistaken for a niche gallery if it weren’t for the rich coffee aroma in the air.
“Hillbrewed Coffee has been a dream of mine for a while, it actually started back in 2010 when I met a lady from China who introduced me to real coffee when she made me a simple plunger and I was amazed – I was in high school back then and I really enjoyed having coffee now and then. The dream materialised in 2017, when I had a vision of opening up the coffee shop,” Tebza said.
Speaking on his love for coffee and pitting it against his entrepreneurial drive, Tebza said he had to learn everything about coffee – from bean to cup – and put in 100 per cent efforts into establishing the brand turning it into a space for love and community.
“I start my day with a cup of coffee so I can get things done. I think my love for coffee comes from my love for people and life. That’s where everything comes together – I had to teach myself how to brew coffee and I had to learn these things in order to run the business. Everything is self-taught.”
The Hillbrow native pays homage to his CBD roots not only through the play of words in the naming of Hillbrewed Coffee but also in creating a space for young people to use the space as a place of connection and inspiration. It’s safe to say that Tebza’s story is not only a story of a love for coffee but an addition to the many stories that are told about Hillbrow – good and bad.
“The kids in Hillbrow inspire me and I want to be a role-model to them and do something sustainable so that they can see that you can get out of the ‘hood and make something of yourself.”
Tebza said running the shop has taught him a lot of patience, much like waiting for a perfectly brewed cup of coffee and finally taking in all its notes and flavours before taking the first sip. In all its splendour, the self-taught brewer said he has gone through up and downs in his journey to turn Hillbrewed Coffee into an inspirational brand.
“I just want the brand to be an inspiration to kids around the world – I grew up without nothing and in a place where you were told you’d equate to nothing because of where you come from. I really want the brand to be something that people can be proud of, I want Hillbrewed to be a community builder.”
