With events like ‘Sip & Paint’ ‘Flower arranging’ and ‘Jewellery making’, this Moroccan-style café in London attempts to bring back the art of human interaction.
The Moroccan Corner Café located in Walthamstow, London reels you in with the smell of baked goods, mellow lights, handpicked decor and the 2000s pop songs playing in the background.
But what makes it stand out is its ability to unwind you with its therapeutic activities.
Being in her early twenties, founder Dilara Tufa admits that she became an anti-social person post-Covid, binging Netflix and scrolling through Tik Tok all day.
“I realised that it was negatively impacting me and people like me, because I’d rather stay in my bed looking at strangers on Tik Tok than be bothered to go out meet my friends,” Dilara told us.
She felt the need for change and so in April 2023, the doors of Moroccan Corner were opened for its customers.
Now completing a year into the business, the café is already a TikTok sensation with sold out events and long queues.
However, this was not the case in the beginning: “For the first four months, we were incredibly quiet with two to five customers daily, but then an influencer posted a video about the café, and it went viral. After that the business skyrocketed.”
Dilara acknowledges the paradox of using social media to lure people away from their screens, emphasizing its pivotal role in marketing and reaching a broader audience.
The café aims to create a safe space for its customers to shed themselves of their worries and immerse into one of the many interactive activities available at their disposal.
The proof of their success in achieving the same lies on the ground beside my table in the form of a discarded phone whose owner is engrossed in completing what looks like a friendship bracelet with her friends while they talk about life.
On the other table, a group of five women burst into laughter with their hands still focused on the bracelet.
When asked about their experience of the café, one fondly replies: “I absolutely love this place as it just relaxes you, and as Muslim women we don’t go to other pubs and cafés; but this is a non-alcoholic café which is quite rare for London and the interior is a cultural symphony.”
Dilara admits that she isn’t perfect at what she is doing but with good faith, she is willing to learn along the way.
“This is my first business and while I do have help, I am not funded by big corporations. I’m still new and navigating the intricacies of entrepreneurship and this year in business has taught me to be patient and trust the process.”
While Dilara has a vision to expand the café into a chain spread across the world, her priority remains loyal to her customers having a good time.
Moving forward, she also has plans to launch more versatile events like games night, art exhibitions, car boot sales in the shop as she is passionate about thrifting and sustainability.
She fondly admits that she has decorated the café with art and crafts bought from charity shops. The café also offers a thoughtfully curated selection of bites and mains inspired by Moroccan cuisine.
Featured image courtesy of Dilara Tufa.