What shapes do dreams take? Today’s dream might be different tomorrow or the day after, just like how สาธิยา “Jeep” ศิริพจนากร, the former managing editor of Esquire magazine, dreamt of becoming a writer since the age of 16. After fulfilling her writer aspirations, she decided to step out of her comfort zone and take the plunge into another aspiration, opening a lifestyle café/wine bar/creator hub/art gallery called Madi Café amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When we think of the Charoenkrung area, it’s often synonymous with eateries, pastry shops, and delectable delights that beckon our senses. It’s a well-established district that draws anyone passing by to indulge in tasty treats or discover their favorite spots. The neighborhood’s latest addition, Madi Cafe, stands out with its pristine white walls contrasting elegantly with the rich brown tones of its wooden entrance. The air is filled with the enticing fragrance of freshly ground and roasted coffee beans, an olfactory testament to the café’s character. This delightful scent seamlessly intertwines with the café’s ambiance, creating a truly immersive experience.
“I wanted to have something of my own at the age of 36,” Jeep begins. “I love writing, taking photos, going to art galleries, and drinking coffee, so I had this idea of opening up a cafe with my close friend เมธิกานต์ “May” ขวัญเมือง, who was quitting her full-time job at the time. We were a year into the pandemic and everyone warned us starting new businesses. But I know that the regret of not trying at all would outweigh any disappointment from trying and not succeeding.”
Navigating challenges through lockdowns “Nobody was pressuring us. We were fully aware of the risks, and we decided to move forward with a reasonable level of readiness for those potential challenges. Right before the opening, the government slapped us with a sudden lockdown. Even though that was the case, we figured that compared to a restaurant, a café had better odds. Why? Well, customers could still grab takeaway drinks even during the lockdown. Cafés also felt more manageable in that regard. Of course, it wasn’t all smooth sailing; without the lockdown, things would’ve been a lot better. The initial four months went pretty well for a newly launched spot. But we had to brace ourselves for the worst-case scenario. What if sales plummeted because people were confined to their homes? Even if we just managed to sell a mere ten cups, we had to have Plan B and Plan C in our back pocket.”
Turning vision into reality “Before opening the cafe, we’d talked about how nobody seemed to have the guts to open anything new during this time. So, if we were going to open now, we had to go all out. We visited many locations that were said to be good, but none of them felt right. They just didn’t match the image we had in our minds. Then we found this place, and it was a perfect fit. The first time we saw it, it was old and rundown. No one had been here for about 10 years. But the vision in our heads aligned perfectly with this place. So, we started by removing the second floor and creating a double volume space to let natural light in. We aimed for the best, and that’s exactly what we got.”
From safe zone to dream pursuit “This cafe is driven purely by our passion. It’s like we broke out of a safety bubble we’ve been in since 2008. We spent over a decade clocking in at a company where risks were far from our thoughts, and negativity was nowhere near our work. We lucked out in a good organization, doing tasks that weren’t bad at all. But, we kept thinking, ‘What more did we want to try? What hadn’t we done yet?’ As we got older, we figured that we should take that leap of faith and go after our dreams.”
Café’s name and logo: a blend of friendship and identity “Actually, the name can be pronounced as ‘Madi’ or ‘Madee.’ We wanted to open a place where we could be friends with our customers. When we started the café, everything from the management system, coffee, structure, design, and even the ambiance was created with the help of friends. When it came to naming the café, we wanted it to be simple and feel like a friend. My daughter’s name is actually ‘Madee,’ and that aligned perfectly with our concept of friendship. If you read it as ‘Madee,’ it’s like you’re saying, ‘Come on, let’s go!’ in Thai. As for the café logo, we have both the main logo and a promotional logo. The color scheme is centered around blue and orange. Blue represents the fluidity of friendship, while orange symbolizes our fiery passion.”
Friendly vibes like no others “Not every café is a place where the owners sit down and chat with us. We wanted our café to have that friendly vibe with the customers. We believe that not every café is like this. When people visit trendy cafés, it's often about taking photos. But having regular customers who come and feel like we're friends is what we aspire to. As soon as we opened, we had customers bringing us gifts like crab rolls, and during New Year’s, they even swung by for a hangout and even brought presents. That’s the goal of our café, and it’s happening just the way we wanted.”
“We wanted to be café owners who just kick it with our customers, like pals hanging out. And that’s where the whole café concept comes from – we’re big believers in the whole friend circle thing. Personally, I’m all about friendships because they’re this cool circle that expands. There’s the inner circle of your tightest buds, and then there’s the outer circle. Life’s like this series of circles, and this café is totally part of ours. When you meet folks who vibe the same way, it’s like this natural pull that brings us together.”
Madi Cafe’s signature menu items Madi Culture Coffee: A blend coffee served with milk. Somewhat like latte – with the aromatic sweetness of coffee and a slight creaminess from milk.
Yuzu Americano by MR. B: A beautiful blend of the bitter profile of americano with the tangy note of yuzu, creating a harmonious combo that’s hard to resist.
Truffle Mushroom Pie: Delicately baked and infused with the fragrance of truffle mushrooms. Its outer layer is pleasantly crispy, and the inner texture is soft and tender, offering a combo of both taste and texture that’s truly delightful.
Croffle: One of the cafe’s best-sellers, it’s best enjoyed with a cup of coffee, thanks to its succulent, fragrant, buttery texture, and outer crispness.
Where do you source your ingredients? “We source our ingredients from places we love and believe are the best. We prioritize what we personally enjoy and find excellent. Our coffee beans, for instance, are sourced from the highest farms in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, which ensures they are chemical-free. We use a blend that’s versatile and works well with any dish, whether it’s mixed with milk or used in a latte. As for our pastries, they are crafted by a baker friend.”
Your café also doubles as a ‘creator hub.’ Can you tell us more about that? “It’s a space where we can do whatever we feel like – from workshops and flower arrangements to photoshoots and events. We’re lucky to have this setup, where our café runs independently while the upper level hosts events. We get around 2-3 days to reset and gear up for new projects. It’s exciting to collaborate with artists and make our place inspiring for others. We want people to think of us when they’re planning workshops or activities. After all, everyone in the arts wants their work to inspire someone else.”
“We mainly feature works from young, up-and-coming photographers. It’s a platform for aspiring photographers who are just starting to show their talents. Their photos look stunning and carry a heartfelt warmth, like hidden gems. Some of them might not know how to present themselves yet. So, when there’s an empty space for exhibition, we spread the word to let these talented artists display their creations. We offer this space free of charge, like an open canvas for them.”
“Because Thailand doesn’t offer much space for emerging artists, we thought the upper section of our shop could be their canvas. We’re going with a grassroots approach, directly telling these lesser-known talents about the space and how they can use it.”
Where’s the inspiration for your lifestyle shop come from? “We sell stuff we genuinely like and use ourselves. From the yummy treats to the drinks, they’re all things we enjoy. Our goal was to keep things simple, practical for everyday life. Our shop isn’t just a café – it's a whole lifestyle. We’ve got cool stuff like candles, hand sanitizers, tote bags, hats, and tees, all designed and made by us. Think of it as a mini museum gift shop vibe, just like when you travel abroad. We’re totally into this concept!”
Wine bar in the evenings “It actually just kicked off last week! Perfect timing as our shop hit its one-year mark. Our lifestyle is all about enjoying drinks. We’re the sipping kind, and so are our buddies. We have a friend who’s a bar enthusiast who hopped on board and now helps out in the evenings and nights. It’s a lifesaver because running a café from morning till midnight can really drain you. This new addition happens four days a week, from Thursday to Sunday. We start around 5 in the evening till midnight. Swing by!”
Expectations for Madi BKK “Our café has been open for a year now. Despite early challenges, here we are, still standing strong and nurturing our café every single day. It’s like taking care of a living thing. We feel that having the courage to start something like this is an accomplishment in itself. Once you start doing what you truly want to do, that’s the ultimate achievement.”
What’s next for Madi Café? “We’ve had big malls contact us for franchise opportunities, but we didn’t see ourselves going down that path. We’re still in the decision-making phase, thinking about the future. Right now, we just want to be true to ourselves, follow our hearts, and take it step by step. We believe in being unique.”