Makx Wielecki is humble by nature. He doesn’t like being in the spotlight, and would rather his exciting new venture speak for itself.

He appears to be fixing a tap when I arrive, forever hands on instead of taking a back seat at the Coffee Lab in Ellon.

Having only opened last month, the cafe is still in its infancy, but has quickly won the hearts of loyal customers.

The buzz around opening day is yet to die down, with people asking Makx most days when the business would finally open its door in the lead up to its unveiling.

The prime location on the river front may not have been altogether private when renovations were going on, but it does mean that Makx, who is a partner in the business with his father in law, Mark Donaldson, has been able to capitalise on all manner of passing trade.

From those popping to shops just a stones throw away to dog walkers in search of a warm drink and fine piece, the Coffee Lab is clearly the place to be be.

Forget about the human customers, it’s their four legged friends who Makx is always most excited to welcome.

There are few dog friendly cafes in the area, and The Coffee Lab’s social media is filled with pictures of wagging tails – with dogs of all sizes making themselves at home.

We caught up with Makx, to find out how business is going, and what might be next for this buzzing entrepreneur.

“I am originally from Holland, and I moved to Devon to join my mother in 2012,” says Makx.

So why did he swap the balmy climate of Devon for the chill in the north-east?

Makx holds up his hand sheepishly and taps his wedding ring.

“I met my wife on online gaming, we are both huge Star Wars fans,” he says.

“She’s from Peterhead, and I moved here in 2015.”

Building foundations

Working in hospitality saw Makx pick up plenty of skills, and gave him a clear vision on how he wanted his business to run.

“I was a shift leader at Wetherspoons where I did a bit of everything, and I also worked at Symposium for two years,” he says.

“It gave me a solid foundation.”

The building was originally part of Balmoral Dental Surgeries, but there was never any cause for expansion – so it was left sitting empty.

“It was just collecting dust, but it is such a prime location,” says Makx.

Who let the dogs out?

“From the get go, we knew we’d be shooting ourselves in the foot if we didn’t decide to be dog friendly.”

The name is partly inspired by Makx’s own beloved dog, a chocolate Labrador named Obi.

But despite having a clear vision, there were plenty of obstacles in the way, including the pandemic.

“It has been two years in the making, from lockdown meaning we couldn’t do anything to problems in the supply chain,” says Makx.

“People were asking when were we going to open the doors, pulling it all together was very challenging.

“Now we employ six members of staff though.”

Despite the many furry fans, Makx is keen to point out that there are other selling points,

“We are dog friendly, of course, but we’re not a dog cafe and that was very much on purpose.

“This is a brand spanking new business. I would rather do a little but well, instead of doing a lot poorly.

“My own dog, Obi, loves it here though. Especially if you bribe him with sausage.

“This is what you would expect from a cafe setting.”

Makx is clearly modest, as the interior is both homely and stylish.

He credits the decor to his mother in law, Shona, and believes the running of the business is a family affair.

“Everyone chips in,” he says.

“If it was up to me, everything would probably be white, but Shona pays attention to all the fine details, and my father in law does the social media side of things.

“What is my favourite thing about the place?

“I couldn’t possibly choose, that would be like someone to pick a favourite child.”

Quirky choices

From tasty toasted sandwiches to vegan options and pancakes, the menu has been carefully thought through.

There’s a huge jar of doggy treats on the counter, and the hot drink selection is delightfully unusual.

You’ll find wolfberry hot chocolate, plus beetroot hot chocolate.

“When you say beetroot hot chocolate, people tend to pull a face,” says Makx.

“But you can’t taste the beetroot at all, it actually enhances the coco.”

With business going well, Makx has finally taken his first day off since opening.

“That was a very good day,” he says.

“I didn’t have any idea how things were going to go, but the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

“This is my first venture, so I didn’t know what to expect.

“Everybody loves dogs, I sometimes have trouble getting the staff to do work because they are saying hello to all the lovely dogs who come in here.

“That’s not such a bad thing though.

A lovely terrace area outside will be kitted out for the summer, and Makx has also made sure to support fellow local businesses.

“Some of our bakes comes from bakeology, and our bread and scones comes from Ythan Bakery,” he said.

“I want to incorporate other local businesses as much as possible.”

There are also some exciting plans for the future, should business continue to do well.

“I want this place to continue to run smoothly, so I can maybe step back and not have to be here all the time,” says Makx.

“Long term, I would love to have a couple cafes and expand, but we shall see.

“Having happy customers, that’s the best part.”

A round of questions with Makx Wielecki

If you were a drink, what would you be and why?

Coffee, I am basically 90% coffee at this point.

What is is the most under-rated drink?

Wolfberry hot chocolate. It’s hot chocolate mixed with goji berries and raspberries, I adore it. The idea came from Unorthodox Roasters. You get this tangy weird sensation afterwards, it’s an acquired taste.

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Coffee beans, a coffee maker and my guitar.

What drink would you serve to a celebrity?

A macchiato, but I’m not sure who I would serve it too. Nobody comes to mind.

Tell us a secret of the trade?

That’s easy, service with a smile.