P h e n o m e n a l W o m e n
Interview Series
A L E X A N D R A M I L L E R
E L A N C A F E F O U N D E R
We caught up with Alexander Miller, the founder of Elan Cafe, the most Instagrammable cafe in London, attracting visitors from all over the world.
Alexandra is passionate about wellness. Her story has taken her from Miami, Jamaica, the Middle East and to London – she is a fervent proponent of healthful eating and living, and the concept she has created for EL&N London embodies these passions. Alexandra’s background is in fashion and her meticulous attention to detail shines through in the beautiful styling of all EL&N food and coffee offerings. Creativity and well-being are where her heart lies, and now she brings this lifelong focus to EL&N.
What inspired you to open Elan Cafe
I noticed there was a gap in the market to create a safe space that was both really instagrammable, but also open late and somewhere people can just chill without feeling the need to drink. We wanted to create a space that had an impactful ‘instagram moment’ in every corner or spot you sat in. When we opened, there was a huge gap in the market and not a lot of F&B operators offering this to the extent we have. I was determined to create something that was disruptive and unique to the market.
When did you open the first Elan Cafe and how many are now opened across the country?
The first cafe opened in August 2017 so we’ve been open for just under 2 and a half years now, with 7 cafes in London and one which recently opened in Bicester Village! We’ve got the next cafe opening this march at St Pancras station which we are all really excited about, the interiors are going to be insane! We’ve got a lot going on this year so 2020 is going to be a busy one for EL&N… watch this space.
Elan Cafe is notably the most Instagrammable cafe in London, what are your thoughts on Social Media and its role in promoting your Cafes
We’ve had the same marketing team since we opened EL&N and have never out-sourced which is something we are really proud to shout about. Everything we’ve done so far has been organic and we have a lot to thank to social media and the digital space for. Our followers are so supportive of anything we do and actually, a lot of our posts are UGC, we love seeing everyones’s tagged posts and how they capture their EL& N experience.
What is your one key advice to young entrepreneurs
Reset your perception of failure, see each thing that goes wrong as an unexpected way to learn and build yourself up.
F I R E Q U E S T I O N S
Coffee or Tea …….Coffee
Your favourite Elan product ……..Alex's coffee, without fail. Coffee, oat milk and maple syrup, its my go to
Heels or flats……. Flats, I live in sneakers
Large or Mini Bags? ……..Mini Bags
https://www.elnlondon.co.uk
