From a gran’s garage to a bustling café and interior design studio, one family has built a now award-winning hub for hospitality and homewares in Glasgow
A vintage sewing machine that handstitched a granny’s dreams now anchors an award‑winning café and bespoke interiors studio. Next month Koo‑ee marks ten years in its Glasgow Southside home, but its story begins long before any coffee order was placed.
The business’ roots trace back to Anna Wylie, a budding seamstress who set up shop in the 60’s from her home garage. Her father taught her to sew and soon Anna became renowned for tailoring fabric slipcovers for sofas — these creative yet affordable pieces gave customers a new flexibility to experiment with colour and pattern.
That personal approach sparked a family passion for interiors that still underpins the business’ success today, which is now run by Anna’s grandson David Gallagher and his mother, Gill Oakley.
“Quality is never sacrificed, we always want the highest standards for the customer,” David says. “That has always been the case since the very start.”
What began as a home‑based trade has since evolved across three generations. Though it was only after moving to Glasgow’s Cathcart neighbourhood a decade ago that Koo-ee became a coffee spot, too.
“I just wanted a really nice coffee machine,” laughs David. “But it grew arms and legs from there. I started selling drinks and cakes, then soup. After I bought a toastie machine and panini press, it really took off.”
Now craft and hospitality compliment each other at Koo-ee in 2026: Cutlery clinks on tables and espresso machines hum in the background, while massive murals display the custom wallpaper and curtains drape and soften the space.
There’s a peaceful atmosphere as guests are encouraged to relax, chat with friends and plan their home revamps over lunch.
“People like the quirkiness of the shop,” says David. “They love getting something to eat or looking at the gift shop, just for a chance to chill out. We also have a huge fabric and wallpaper library. Everything is made here in Glasgow, which is important to us.”
This organic expansion compliments the original interior business, bringing in new footfall and fresh commissions. Meanwhile the pace and warmth of café life reinforce the shop’s role as a community hub. “We focus on handmade quality because we put a lot of love into the café. The only thing that isn’t made right here in the shop are the morning rolls, they get delivered daily from an artisan bakery. Everything is top notch.”
Their hard work is now paying off as Koo-ee is currently shortlisted for Scotland’s Best Café 2026, after winning Glasgow Café of the Year. “We were so buzzing with the win,” says David. “We really didn’t expect it.”
The building once housed three separate businesses now brought together under Koo‑ee, with the café taking over a former fish and chip shop.
“Some families have been coming to us for around forty years, that kind of customer loyalty is massive to us,” explains David. “People my mum served in the 80’s now bring their families in and so it is really nice having that.”
This strong relationship with the community has seen the business through economic shifts and changing retail habits throughout the years.
“We don’t see ourselves as competing with high street giants,” says David. “We just rely on people who know quality over mass production. Some people are happy with that but there are a lot of people who really care.”
Today, Anna’s original 1964 sewing machine remains on display in the studio. The nostalgia is a constant reminder that craftsmanship and care are always at the heart of Koo-ee.
Koo-ee Café
1 Old Castle Road
Cathcart
Glasgow
G44 4BN
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