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, yet 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 in adulthood, Anna became renowned for tailoring fabric slipcovers for sofas — they were creative yet affordable pieces that gave customers flexibility to experiment with colour and pattern at home.
What started as a home‑based trade has since evolved across three generations. Though it was only after moving to Glasgow’s Cathcart neighbourhood ten years ago that Koo-ee became a coffee spot, too.
“I just wanted a really nice coffee machine,” laughs David Gallagher, Anna’s grandson who now owns Koo-ee with his mother, Gill Oakley. “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.”
Craft and hospitality complement each other at Koo-ee in 2026: inside, massive murals display the custom wallpaper while curtains drape and soften the space. A huge library of books — “too many to count”, insists David — are packed with fabric samples and design ideas, turning the studio into a treasure trove for visitors.
Cutlery clinks on tables and espresso machines hum in the background. There’s an unpretentious atmosphere; guests are encouraged to linger, 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 powerfully compliments the original interior business, gradually increasing footfall and bringing in modern 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.”
Koo-ee is currently shortlisted for Scotland’s Best Café 2026, after winning Glasgow Café of the Year. “Quality is never sacrificed. We have wanted the highest standards for our customers since the very start,” says David. “We were so buzzing with the win. 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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