Steel City Cafe

[JokerWrench 10]

been in once wasnt outstanding but not the worst coffee and cake in the world and definately worth £3=))

[Potential 10]

Noticed it, haven't been in. Shop frontage doesn't look too great. The large expanse of glazing needs breaking up a bit and the largely white interior doesn't strike me as welcoming. Maybe that's just me though. The sign, as previously highlighted, looks terrible.

 

Good luck to them though.

[jojothecool 10]

So what sort of thing WOULD appeal to you cafe-wise? Is it the appearance that puts you off more than anything? They sell coffee and cake for £3 which is really cheap for that area. Would you pay more if the inside and outside were more appealing? Is it more important for it to be chic / trendy / traditional / comfortable / 'edgy'?

If you do already go to cafes on Abbeydale Road, what would draw you into this one instead? (If it were changed from how it is now?)

p.s. I'm looking at this from an objective standpoint (I'm not involved with the business at all) so feel free to be brutally honest.

[komal 11]

I'm guessing you mean steel city cake and not steel city cafe. The cake is good, portions are massive and its very cheap. The sign is pretty hideous, I agree. The manager mentioned about opening late some nights which i think is a great idea

[Daven 10]

I'm guessing you mean steel city cake and not steel city cafe. The cake is good, portions are massive and its very cheap. The sign is pretty hideous, I agree. The manager mentioned about opening late some nights which i think is a great idea

 

It already seems to be open really late into the evening which is unusual for a cake shop I guess.

[WallBuilder 10]

I personally prefer the basic english cafe which sells sausage and tomato s/wiches or bacon and egg, that sort of thing. Also the drinks should come in decent sized mugs not cups on saucers. One thing that will cause me to return are places were the staff are friendly and welcoming and if they do a loyalty card so you pay for five drinks and get the sixth one free that's always a plus. I fully intend to try this place out when I'm next down that way but it's not really in the direction that I normally have to go so I doubt I'd become a regular. I also like places that have music preferably not Hallam FM . Does it have a toilet open to the customers as that can often have a bearing on how many people may go in there and try and steer clear of the chalk boards with menu's and prices as that usually means the place is keen to get your money in my mind.

[sheffgirl1 10]

I have never been in, but walk past it regularly. To me it is too big and bland. It doesn't look inviting at all. I did stop to look at the cakes in the window recently which again were not my cup of tea. Very strange colours and designs. It is also in a bad place for a coffee shop, a very busy corner and not a nice part of Abbeydale rd. There are many more coffee shops which have a much nicer atmosphere and are cosy and inviting, such as Bragazzi's, The Rude Shipyard, The Harland etc...and yes I agree with the other posts, it's not the best sign. I think if it were half the size it would be more inviting. Just my opinion. I have a friend who has been in and she loves it. She thought the cakes were great, very tasty, and she said the owners were really nice and friendly - which is always a plus point in my book. Maybe I should give it a go!

[wobblybob50 10]

Been in a couple of times as we were doing a bit of shopping. Found the decor to be wanting and the little tinny sounding radio wouldn't be missed but the cake and coffee were very nice and worth £3.

There are other nice cafes around but variety is the spice of life and its worth a try.

[maxofe 10]

we have been meaning to call in for ages but just never get the time!(i really like the late night opening idea)..................and the Okeh cafe do a full english, so that usually wins!!

 

**also think its a little unfair to say its located on a "not very nice" part of abbeydale road. Its Abbeydale road, we know what to expect

[Potential 10]

So what sort of thing WOULD appeal to you cafe-wise? Is it the appearance that puts you off more than anything? They sell coffee and cake for £3 which is really cheap for that area. Would you pay more if the inside and outside were more appealing? Is it more important for it to be chic / trendy / traditional / comfortable / 'edgy'?

If you do already go to cafes on Abbeydale Road, what would draw you into this one instead? (If it were changed from how it is now?)

p.s. I'm looking at this from an objective standpoint (I'm not involved with the business at all) so feel free to be brutally honest.

 

Interesting that you equate chic/trendy/traditional/comfortable/edgy with an uplift in prices. It doesn't need to follow that some thoughtful decor means its going to be pricey. Why can it not be any of the above and STILL be good value? I guess because you need to invest money in the place to make it any of these? At the moment, it would appear from the comments that it fails to be anything except good value. Seems to be the Sheffield way in many things "yeah we look a bit bland and unappealing BUT we're excellent value". Nobody will know you're good value if they're not coming through the door. You need more 'kerb appeal' (I shudder using that phrase).

 

I'm not having a go here by the way, I really do wish them well in their business venture.

[morrisminor 10]

the sign would be OKish if it was a steel mill. it certainly is effective in being redolent of steel. but thats not really the feeling i am looking for in a cake. makes it feel like it might be kinda....crunchy.

 

i think it is about knowing who your clientele are. who are the people in the area that will want to come to your cafe? others on abbeydale rd and in nether edge are comparatively expensive.....and packed. so how big is the market around abbeydale and nether edge for people looking for cheap inexpensive coffee and cake? this cafe isnt a greasy spoon....and by its appearance and sales pitch isnt a more bourgouis, upmarket independent - so is something in that mid range what people in the area want?

 

when i have seen i have been surprised by the number of customers so it obviously has built up a following but there is still competition in the area. later night opening seems like a good idea if people know about it. but in terms of the decor/design etc. it is hard to say how effective it is without knowing what it is trying to be. but the general impression is unfortunately, someone who doesnt really know what it wants to be, and somewhere that is cheap and cheerful, but doesnt think of itself that way.

 

ironically, the first info i found on the web about it when the sign first went up was on the graphic designers website who had done the logo.

[Squiggs 11]

It doesn't LOOK like a cake shop.

 

There are certain themes that are associated with certain shops, certain colour schemes, types of fonts and so on.

 

Gunmetal on red and square mechanical fonts don't associate themselves as well as say, light yellows, browns, cursive fonts, or fondant colours.

 

I walked past SCC a few times going to Butterworths over the junction and it certainly wasn't the first or second time that I passed, that I notices what it was. In fact it was only when I consciously looked and thought "wasn't that a ladies' gym not long back, I wonder what it is now", deliberately looking to see what it was, that I took any notice.

 

I know now that they do all kinds of cakes for all kinds of dietary requirements and by all accounts they are pretty good. I'm not really a cake shop kind of person so I've not been in. But it strikes me that the frontage is lacking.

 

Perhaps they were going for the "let's look like something 'else'" so people stop and look. But it doesn't work - at least not at first, and I certainly wouldn't know about it if I was not local.