Introducing No.1 Cubs

“Billy and I started playing rugby together aged 14 or so. We didn’t know each other that well at first, but became really close at college, sharing lifts for rugby training in the mornings, and our friendship grew from there.

The No. 1 Cubs name was inspired by Billy’s position for Exeter Chiefs rugby (No. 1) and the Chicago Cubs baseball team that was playing on TV in the background while we were brainstorming names at my dining room table! I’d always wanted an animal name and logo for the company, and was really into geometric shapes – so it grew naturally from there.

I’ve also always had a passion for clothes; it’s my downfall! We got some simple Cubs uniforms made up for our team at an event, then people started asking for them. So we did a basic website with a couple of T-shirts – and the clothing really took off. 

Tom from Origin [the founder] introduced us to the Watergate Bay team, and it was such a great opportunity. At first, we converted our original van, serving coffees out the back of it on Sea Lane. It was really popular, so we bought a bigger van that our baristas could actually stand inside, so they could keep serving through the winter. (Before that, I remember bear-hugging a parasol that was almost blowing away in the autumn gales, outside the van!)

The atmosphere at Watergate Bay is really buzzing, and the people are great. The last 18 months there have allowed us to develop as a company and understand how we want to grow moving forwards. We love all the regular faces, and the feeling at high tide when the sea is right up at the bottom of the lane. Even on a blustery day, the Bay has a really unique feel – it has a huge appeal to us, and is different from anywhere else.

No.1 Cubs pop-up is open seven days a week on sea lane leading down to the beach.

They’ve also just opened a café inside The Hangar coworking space at Newquay Aerohub, and in Mevagissey.