Sixteen years ago, the Oasis Cafe opened its doors at Carmichael Street and the business still stands strong, despite challenges from the novel corona virus pandemic.
Customers remain grateful to the owners, Will and Nisa Walker for introducing the coffee culture to Georgetown and Guyana as a whole.
The 16th year was the hardest, according to Nisa, who had her own scare with Covid-19 in May.
Having already lost many friends and family to the pandemic, she is grateful she can simply draw a breath.
She is also grateful to the staff of the cafe who kept it running through what was a year of great uncertainty.
Nisa is grateful too for all the customers who wished her well and continue to be a part of what is truly a community. And she’s “grateful to all the suppliers who we rely on every day and everyone we have harmonious business relations with.”
Finally, she’s grateful for her husband for standing by her and making hundreds of cups of tea when she was low and for her son Dylan who carried all those oxygen cylinders up and downstairs and for her daughter Bobby for visiting in her time of greatest need “….Life goes on and Oasis goes on, onwards and upwards!”
The Walkers got down to establishing the coffee shop, even as they were concerned about whether or not it would be successful. Luckily they did not have to worry for too long and were overwhelmed with the tremendous response from the public.
On the eve of Oasis’s anniversary on Saturday, they served free slices of their famous `Bobby’s Chocolate Cake’ to customers who walked in.
Customers had welcomed the opening of Oasis, where they can always go for great tasting coffee, all kinds of cakes and the pastries, fresh fruit juices, breakfast and buffet lunch.
It has evolved over the years though, with complete meals being served all day.
Before the pandemic, they offered special Friday night fine dining dinner at their “pop up” Oasis Paradiso. Reservations for this dinner were taken fast, as customers got to experience food from different cultures.
In an invited comment, one of the staff members, Sonya Edward who has worked at Oasis for the past eight years, declared that it was the best eight years of her life.
She has gained a lot of experience from being a cook and emphasised that she loves her job.
She enjoys cooking and feels proud when customers give a positive feedback about her dishes.
Looking back, Nisa said that there were lots of challenges along the way, but she remains proud that they made it this far.
