Coffee wagon in Mart car park is Kilcullen's first drive-thru

A new coffee wagon enterprise in Kilcullen is aimed at picking up on the very heavy — and often stalled — traffic on the Newbridge Road, writes Brian Byrne.

It's the idea of Peter Higgins, who says the transformation of Ireland from a nation of tea drinkers only onto the coffee kick is well under way.

"It got going in earnest during covid lockdown, when people could only meet friends by going out and having a coffee at a distance," says Peter, who is originally from Clownings near Corbally Harbour, but he has worked in cafes and restaurants around the world.

"I was working in Australia when covid came along and came home when my visa ran out," he told the Diary. "At the time you couldn't go out ... the pubs were all closed and the cafes too. There were times during covid when I'd drive out with a coffee to meet friends and talk from our cars with the windows down and a space between us."

His Base Coffee operation in Kilcullen, which started a week ago and has been very busy so far, is located in the car park of Leinster Marts, with a 'drive-thru' facility by using the old gateway at the school side of the property. "It's an area that is unused almost all the time, even when the Mart is open on Wednesday."

The selling point in the Base Coffee wagon is the personal touch and the customer service. "People want something more than they get from the machines in filling stations, and we offer barista-made coffee, grinding our own beans, and giving people the individual style of coffee that they want."

There are also pastry bakes, sweet and savoury treats, and snack bars available.

"Kilcullen is always a busy place, and I think there's a good opportunity for this. Hopefully by the end of the summer we'll be well established."

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