Meet 21-Year old Co-founder of Cafe Bae, Nagaland | Talikumla Aier

Sometimes amid writing tales of ingenious entrepreneurship, we find a gem that rocks our perspectives about life. Today we feature a quaint little cafe at Dimapur called Cafe Bae, whose story is unique because it has both the elements. Cafe Bae’s story begins with a friendship between two little girls in a small Naga town and goes on to stand as a testimony of everything that they achieved as twenty-year-old businesswomen.

Meet Talikumla Aier, co-founder of Cafe Bae, as she takes us through her journey as a young entrepreneur at 21.

Photo | Talikumla Aier – Co-founder and Owner of Cafe Bae

What made you think of owning a cafe business at such a young age?

My co-founder, Late Anushri Jain and I had been best friends since Class 6. We grew up together and basically spent most of the time in each other’s company. As youngsters, we realized that Dimapur didn’t have many spaces where one could hangout without burning a hole through their pockets. And if you manage to find such a spot, it generally doesn’t have the quirky decor that could draw one’s attention. So, we decided to open an affordable cafe that would serve as space for our friends to chill out at.

We zeroed in on a shop lot at the top of West City. Everything in the property is recycled and we serve vegetarian food as we believe in live and let live. The cafe was launched on 1st October 2016. The place remains open from afternoon till eight in the evening.

Cafe Bae Interiors | Photo courtesy @cafe.bae

Photo courtesy @cafe.bae

What were some of the biggest challenges in getting Cafe Bae up and running?

I received one of the biggest blows to my life when Anushree passed away last year, very shortly after the launch of our cafe. Cafe Bae was an ode to our friendship. We had entered into a new field of managing an F&B business without any prior experience, so every problem was very new to us. We had to stay up late and invest a lot of time into this venture. We knew nothing about management, kitchen staffing, or accounting, so it got really challenging as well – when I was left all alone.

Also, balancing both studies and work was getting tricky. In hindsight though, it was all fun because we did it all together. My biggest motivation at the moment is to keep the business running and getting it to new heights in memory of Lt. Anushri Jain.

Beautiful collection of moments well spent . . .

What theme did you decide to go with for Cafe Bae? And why?

We decided to set the place up in a vintage theme with old radios, telephones, and televisions as the centerpieces. We wanted Cafe Bae to take its visitors back in time and giving them a headrush of nostalgia from their childhood days. We wanted to reinvigorate that feeling that all of us have felt when we first discovered an old radio at our grandmother’s place. Cafe Bae was designed to be an inviting and friendly space with a unique personality.

The location of the cafe is perfect as it is in proximity to many schools and colleges. The cafe is well decorated, furnished, comfortable and very spacious. This place is famous for food, beverages and its decor, ambiance, and its handmade creativity and use of recycled things.

Desserts at Cafe Bae.

Cosy evenings spent at Cafe Bae.

Cafe Bae looks like a charming fun place. Follow them on Instagram!

A post shared by Cafe BaE (@cafe.bae) on Feb 14, 2017 at 4:16am PST

Address:
4th floor, connect studio building, 
ADC court junction, 
Dimapur, Nagaland

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Kumti

A writer by profession, with a passion for travel and watching football. Drawn to the intricate things in life, and is fascinated with the possibilities of the far future . .