Argonaut Coffee has opened its first café in Kingston on Buckland’s Wharf.
Argonaut’s former coffee van on Canbury Gardens had been a much-loved staple on the riverside for years.
The idea to open a coffee van first came to owner George Vasili during the pandemic, while on daily walks with his daughter.
“We stumbled upon Canbury Gardens one day, and I realised there was a lot of activity there,” he said. “I got to thinking that maybe I could do something mobile”.
A lab chemist-turned-barista, Vasili was out of a job when the pandemic began, and decided to take a leap with the mobile coffee venture.
Kingston locals soon embraced the idea.
“It wasn’t just people enjoying the coffee and putting up with my bad jokes,” Vasili said.
“People would turn up and talk to others they’d never normally cross paths with. Friendships formed, and that was really nice to see.”
Last December, Vasili’s business suffered a major blow when the Argonaut truck was vandalised and left in need of major repairs. “It was a horrible time—we didn’t know what to do, really,” he said.
One of Vasili’s regulars, Rachel Bambrough, felt compelled to step in.
Bambrough, who runs a paddleboard rental company in Kingston, started a GoFundMe page to help get Argonaut Coffee back on its wheels.
“His business is the best part of people’s day,” she said. “His coffee is amazing, he’s there for a great chat, and without him, the riverside feels a little dull.”
To Vasili’s surprise, hundreds of people donated to the page. Over £3,000 was raised to repair the van, and Vasili was deeply moved by the generosity of his customers.
“It was the most heartwarming thing I’ve ever experienced,” he said.
Vasili admitted that without this donation, Argonaut would not have recovered so quickly from the setback. He said he was grateful that now, almost a year on, Argonaut are able to embrace this new chapter in an expanded space.
Argonaut is now situated at 1 Buckland’s Wharf, just a few hundred metres from their former spot.
Argonaut’s new neighbours, TownSq, recently opened their Kingston branch, which offers support to local startups and entrepreneurs.
Vasili said the team at TownSq have been on hand to offer advice and assistance in Argonaut’s new venture.
“They are really good at nurturing small businesses. Any help they can give us, they won’t hesitate.”
Vasili is thankful to his customers, to TownSq, and to local businesses for supporting him in bringing his vision to life.
“This whole thing has been a real team effort,” he said.
