Introducing No.1 Cubs
Follow the bear
From college friends hatching plans while sharing lifts and stories to a fast-growing speciality coffee and clothing business, No.1 Cubs has come a long way in a short time. We caught up with co-founder Matt Butler to hear the Cubs story – from all day brunches to bear-hugging parasols in the autumn gales.
No.1 Cubs started back in 2018 from a few chats between college mates during early morning lifts to rugby training. We didn’t really know what it was going to become. We were just bouncing ideas around and having fun with it. Somehow, those chats turned into one of Cornwall’s most exciting little brands, mixing specialty coffee with timeless clothing inspired by coastal living.
I’ve always been into clothes. It’s my thing and probably my biggest weakness. For our first ever event, we made some basic work T-shirts just for ourselves to wear. Nothing fancy, but people started asking if they could buy them. That gave us the push to set up a simple website and start selling a few bits online. That’s when things really started to take off.
At the same time, my love for coffee was growing. I got into it properly while I was at university studying Sports Science. I did a couple of barista courses and just fell in love with the process. Once we started selling our clothing online, I knew I wanted to create something that brought both of those passions together. A space that mixed great coffee with a strong clothing identity. That became the vision for Cubs.
The name No.1 Cubs came about one night after a long shift. I knew I wanted something animal based. Something that felt strong but still fun and playful. I’d been sketching logo ideas, trying out different shapes and styles, and the bear just felt right. It was bold and full of character and it stuck.
The coffee side came together just as naturally. My grandparents used to run a café, so I guess it was always in the blood. We started off with a little van and did some summer events around Cornwall. It was nothing fancy but we loved it.
Then we got the chance to set up a pop-up at Charlestown harbour. I left my job and decided to back myself fully. That pop-up became a permanent spot and not long after that, we were given the opportunity to serve coffee at Watergate Bay. We converted the original van and started pouring flat whites out the back. Eventually we upgraded to a bigger van so the baristas could actually stand up and we kept going through the winter.
I’ll never forget clutching a parasol outside the van in the middle of a storm. The wind was wild and I honestly thought it was going to take me with it. But even on the rough days, Watergate has something special about it. When the tide is right up at the bottom of Sea Lane and the sun’s going down, it’s unbeatable.
We’ve now been based at Watergate Bay for five years and it feels like home. Over time we’ve built a great little community there. Every Monday night in the summer we run a community run club which is open to both locals and hotel guests. No pressure, just good energy and a bit of movement.
We also have a café up at the Aerohub Business Park in St Mawgan which keeps the business crowd fuelled with proper coffee and quick bites. And in Mevagissey we’ve opened our flagship coffee and clothing store which brings the full Cubs lifestyle together under one roof.
Everything so far has grown out of passion, hard work and a love for what we’re building. The best part is it still feels like this is only the beginning.
