Fran Lovell – A long-term relationship with Mojo Coffee

A long-term relationship with Mojo Coffee

A proud born and bred Wellingtonian, Fran Lovell was working in a café near Wellington Hospital in May 2003 when she met a rather cheerful man one morning, “I made a comment about him being very excitable for so early in the morning and he proudly told me his wife was having a baby. He then went on to tell me that he was opening a roastery in Wellington and was going to call it Mojo.” Steve and Julie Gianoutsos gave birth to their first child on May 3, 2003 and two days later, the first Mojo store and roastery opened on Wakefield St. “It’s very cool. It was great to see that the enthusiastic guy I’d met with the great idea had made it all happen.”

Ever since, Fran’s had a long-standing relationship with Mojo coffee. “I started working on Victoria Street in 2004 and Mojo Old Bank opened. I was scouting for some good coffee in the area, so I went over there and gave it a try. The staff signed me up for a Mojo VIP card and it was the start of a long and happy relationship – 3 solid years of morning Mojo.”

Over the next few years, Fran moved a number of buildings around Wellington, but had always found a Mojo nearby to maintain her love affair. “In 2007 I moved to the parliament end of town where there weren’t any Mojo locations and when I next bumped into Steve I told him that he needed to open a Mojo in that neck of the woods.” It took another building move for Fran to wander down to the Mojo on The Terrace in the PricewaterhouseCoopers building to establish another long-term relationship.

Fran has very fond memories of Jason Moore when he was based in Wellington and managing Mojo Old Bank. “I’d been going there for a while and had gotten to know the staff and then along comes this cheeky young guy, who turned out to have such a great understanding of how to work hard, deliver great coffee, build a solid base of dedicated regular customers and have fun at the same time. I remember him telling me about the opportunity to open Mojo in Dunedin, and it’s great to see he’s made such a success of it.”

These days, Fran is a passionate supporter of Tom Williams and his team in the PricewaterhouseCoopers building. “Tom and his team there are amazing – hand’s down my favourite Mojo store. The consistency and quality of their coffee is exceptional.”

When she isn’t working in town and enjoying a delicious Long Black, Fran and her husband walk their dog along the Hutt River, tend to their massive vegetable garden and feed their chickens. Thanks for being part of our amazing journey Fran, we’re looking forward to sharing many more years together.

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Whether you love lattes, espressos or long blacks, you may well remember Alison Graham, who honed her barista skills at Mojo Coffee. Graham started out at Mojo in the State Insurance Building in early 2004, and later managed Mojo’s Kumutoto on the Waterfront.

She’s now “living the corporate dream” in Melbourne, building on her barista experience to work first in brand management, and now insurance. “I have a feeling it’s only a matter of time before I end up back in the hospo [hospitality] world,” she said.

Graham’s been tracked down by Mojo, which through May is celebrating ten years since its first café opened.

“Coffee was much simpler back then. I fell in love with it. A new kid in the market, it was fast paced, vivacious, honest. Nowhere I’ve worked since has made me laugh as much, nor have I met more interesting people,” she said.

“Being involved with a business in its infancy taught me invaluable life skills, especially having the responsibility of being an owner. Working in hospo teaches you how to relate to people, how to prioritise. You either succeed as a leader or get shown the door.”

“Also, making coffee, and making it well is such a satisfying experience. I spend far too many hours day-dreaming about it.”

Mojo Coffee is one of New Zealand’s most respected independent coffee roasters and café operators. Steve and Julie Gianoutsos opened the first boutique roastery café in Wellington in 2003. Today, the couple still head the company, which now has 24 cafés across Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin. Over 50,000 coffees are served at Mojo each week.

As part of the celebrations, a number of former Mojo baristas have been located, and will share their stories with Mojo customers and staff, via Facebook.

“There are some awesome journeys people have made, to the great cities of the world,” said Steve Gianoutsos.

“Mojo has built a reputation for celebrating uniqueness. Our cafés are each unique to the location and surroundings. Mojo staff are individuals and we want to celebrate that. Even after you leave Mojo — you take the magic with you,” he said.

Graham recalled Gianoutsos as having a “true passion for coffee” and a pride in his staff. “He wanted everyone to succeed and couldn’t have been prouder when they did. Anyone was welcome and nurtured.”

And Mojo customers, she noted, had an “absolute loyalty”.

“You have to be good to survive in Wellington. Customers know their stuff and they’ll tell you if they don’t like what you’ve got. There’s so much competition in such a small market, it forces excellence. Melbourne [coffee] is amazing, but, only in selected places. The market here is more flashy, not so focused on sharing the experience.”

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Gillian Parkinson is a Wellington-based Aromatologist who has her own practice in Miramar. Requiring an exceptional sense of smell for her profession, Gillian loves to wake up to the smell of a freshly brewed cup of Mojo made on her home espresso machine. When she’s not working, she loves to spend time with her husband and two griffon dogs and escape to their slice of paradise in Hercules Flat, in Central Otago.

When Gillian was working in the corporate world in 2002, she used to commute from Masterton by train every morning before moving into town permanently. “I always had half an hour to kill before work so I used to go to Café Rozo in Left Bank which was owned by Lambros Gianoutsos.”

Gillian and Lambros started to get on well and she quickly became quite the regular to Café Rozo. “I remember him telling me how his son Steve had started to experiment roasting coffee and asked me one day if I would like to try a cup. Lambros was very proud – before I knew it, Lambros was using just Steve’s beans.”

Having the opportunity to taste one of the very early cups of Mojo Coffee, before it was even officially born, isn’t lost on Gillian, “It was unforgettable, Lambros was so willing to share his son’s dream & goals. I remember Lambros holding up the very first takeaway cups and slowly turning it around to show me – like I said, he was so proud. Even I am proud!”

After settling in to life in Wellington and the Wakefield St store becoming her new local Mojo, Gillian still made frequent visits to see Lambros at Café Rozo and keep up to date with Mojo’s developments. “I use to love going to Lambros’s cafe, hearing about the launch of the new businesses and the new grandchildren that were coming along!  It was a great way to start my life in Wellington.”

One of Gillian’s most notable memories was when she happened to share engagement news with their barista at the Wakefield St store. “Just before our wedding, our lovely barista presented us with a card and Mojo gift card as a wedding gift – we were SO touched! Our barista really cared!”

These days, Gillian moves around the stores, with the Bond St, Waterfront, Wakefield St and Airport stores being her most frequented. We love that Gillian has shared the last decade of our journey with us, and we’re looking forward to another 10 years of sharing our journeys. Thanks Gillian!

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Another ANZAC is upon us, and for those getting up to celebrate and remember at the dawn parades, some of your favourite Mojo Cafés will be open.

Auckland

Carlton Gore Road
8am – 4pm

Wellington

Zoo
9am – 5pm

Old Bank
1pm – 5pm

Waterfront
9am – 4pm

Summit
6.30am – 5pm

Airport
Normal Hours

Dunedin

Wall St
1pm – normal

Princes St
9am – 4pm

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Here’s what Tait and Alan thought about their experience.

1: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENT DURING THE EVENT?

T: I was really nervous, so when I’d finished the routine, it was like I had been holding my breathe the whole time and could actually relax now. As it was the first time I have entered.

A: I have to agree with Tait, Finishing the routine was my favourite moment. The pressure was off and I could just relax.

2: DID YOU FIND THE CHAMPS CHANGED OR CHALLENGED THE WAY YOU THINK ABOUT COFFEE?

T: It really increased my passion for making coffee and has encouraged me to keep learning. The judges were great the offered so much advice in the debriefing.

A: The Barista Champs made me realise how serious people take their coffee, and in saying that it’s fun too! It made me really enjoy the process.

3: ARE YOU LOOKING AT ENTERING AGAIN NEXT YEAR & WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

T: Totally want to enter again! I think I felt personally underprepared as I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I think next year I’ll be doing more background research and know the rules inside and out.

A: I want to keep entering, as I’m becoming a coffee trainer, I really want to get a better understanding that I can pass on to the baristas I train. I think it is always good to do more homework and also just relax through it.

4: DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHERS WHO WANT TO ENTER NEXT YEAR?

T: Spending as much time as you can up to the event making good coffee for practice! Don’t underestimate the serious of the event!

A: Practice!!! Come and see me for extra training.

5:  WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COFFEE TO MAKE?

T: I love making flatwhites and getting to practice latte art and patterns.

A: I’m not a purist, but making a flatwhite well is key!

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Hope everyone is looking forward to that awesome long weekend that is Easter! It really has rolled around fast!
No doubt as the weekend progresses many of us will be combating chocolate and hot-cross bun hangovers, but never fear! A few of your favourite Mojo stores are still open on Good Friday and Easter Monday!

AUCKLAND

Carlton Gore Rd
Friday  - 8am to 4:30pm
Sat/Sun – Regular Hours
Monday – 8am to 4:30pm

Queen St
Friday – Closed
Sat/Sun – Closed
Monday – Closed

Victoria St
Friday – Closed
Sat/Sun – Closed
Monday – Closed

Viaduct Harbour
Friday – Closed
Sat/Sun – Closed
Monday – Closed

WELLINGTON

Old bank ­
Friday – 9am to ­4pm
Sunday­ – Closed
Monday – 9am to ­4pm

Summit ­
Friday – 9am to ­5pm
Sat/Sun – Regular Hours
Monday – 9am­ to 5pm

Waterfront ­
Friday – 10am­ to 4pm
Sat/Sun – Regular Hours
Monday – 10am to 4pm

Zoo ­
Friday – 9am­ to 5pm
Sat/Sun – Regular Hours
Monday – 9am to 5pm

DUNEDIN

Princes St
Friday – closed
Reopen on Tuesday 2nd April

Wall St
Friday – closed
Saturday –  10am to 5pm
Sunday – closed
Monday – 10pm to 5pm

Happy Easter!!

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We’re passionate Nix supporters, and you may have spied our special edition takeaway cups out and about in Wellington. Make sure you grab one and hold on to it as this year they are seriously limited.

With just two home games left, we’re giving away four double passes for each game. It’s simple to enter the draw, just fill out the form below!

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We’re supporting the 2013 New Zealand Fringe Festival, and to celebrate we have a double pass to five handpicked shows for you to win!

Check out all of the amazing shows that are on here.

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