Tucked away in Cape Town, Ollie’s has quickly become a local gem. The café is more than just a coffee stop - it’s a gathering place where regulars come to connect, catch their breath, or simply share a moment with owner Ollie and his wife.

The shop’s reputation is growing, too: in 2024, Ollie’s was crowned Best Coffee on the Go by Coffee Magazine SA.

For Ollie, though, the story goes back further. He first started selling coffee in 2017 at the Biscuit Mill on weekends. After being pushed out during Covid, he went back to his day job. But when the opportunity for his current space appeared in 2022, he didn’t hesitate.

“Somebody reached out about this place. I took 30 minutes off, came to look, and I said, ‘I’m in.’ A month later, I resigned from my job and I’ve been here since then.”

Ollie Balekage, founder and owner

People first, coffee second

Ask Ollie what drives him, and the answer comes instantly: people.

“I love meeting new people. That’s my priority number one,” he says. “It’s not like an exchange of coffee to money. You can come here even if you’re not buying coffee, just for a small chat or to share something that’s happening in your life.”

This philosophy shapes everything about the café. A typical day starts at 6am - an hour before opening - so Ollie can prepare without rushing. Customers often knock early, and he welcomes them in to taste coffee together before their workday begins.

Even during the morning rush, quality comes before speed.

“We’ll weigh every shot from dosing to espresso so we can be consistent. If you don’t want to wait, we don’t mind losing a sale. We don’t want to pass something average. We just want to create memory…that cup of coffee that resonates in your mind. That’s what makes customers come back.”

POS made easy for anyone

Running a busy coffee bar requires tools that don’t get in the way. Ollie has been with Yoco since the very beginning, moving from the first black card reader through to the Yoco Counter today.

“It’s been easy. Everything is under a category. I can leave the screen open on hot beverages and just press. Once the payment goes through, I see a tick on the screen. That’s been very easy.”

So easy, in fact, that even regulars (and their children) have jumped behind the counter.

“Yesterday a customer said, ‘Would you show me how to process my drink so you don’t have to do it?’ I showed him and it was done. Even his 10-year-old son does payments here three times a week. He’s very good at it!”

For Ollie, the Counter isn’t just about payments. It’s a professional touchpoint that gives him confidence.

“People didn’t take me as seriously before. I didn’t have a proper setup. Now, with Yoco Counter, customers know where to order. It made me feel like, ‘I’m in business.’”

Staying in control with simple tools

Beyond the counter, Yoco helps Ollie manage the bigger picture:

“I use the Yoco App to track what’s happening in the shop when I’m not here. I can see sales in real time instead of asking somebody. I look at daily breakdowns, see what products are selling fast, and adjust stock. Even seasonality. In winter I cut down pastries because the reports showed we sold less the previous winter.”

These insights make admin less painful, too. “I was battling with SARS," Ollie says. "They asked for sales reports. I went to Yoco, exported the papers, and it was very easy. You can customise an export for today or for five days. It saves me hours.”

Updating the product catalogue is just as seamless:

“Changing prices is easy. You can even add photos of products. That’s why I say it’s easy to use - a child can use it. You don’t need two days of training to use the Counter.”

Looking ahead

For Ollie, the café is more than a business; it’s a dream in progress.

“What’s next is to make this place the dream café in my head. The equipment I’ve always wanted, everything I’ve always wanted. That’s what’s next.”

And when asked if he’d recommend Yoco to others in the industry, Ollie doesn’t hesitate: “Most definitely. I’ve recommended it to a lot of people already. It’s one of the best products I’ve ever used. I can recommend it to anyone.”