SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Leslie Bromley has owned and operated Gourmet Cup since 1997. The past eight years have been in the current location located in the lower level of the YK Centre Mall.

Leslie Bromley has owned and run Gourmet Cup since 1997. Following her own advice, she found her niche and stuck with it. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo

Prior to that, she was upstairs for 11 years in what used to be called the Panda Mall Two.

With three full-time employees, and six part-time -- not counting herself or her bookkeeper -- Bromley has some simple advice for anyone who wants to run a successful business in Yellowknife.

"Find your perfect niche," Bromley said.

"Research your clientele and the market you serve."

Bromley said she had a bit of a head start with her business. She purchased it after it had already been running for ten years.

"There really wasn't a coffee shop like this when it opened," Bromley said.

"We inherited a good business and we continue to grow."

By "we" Bromley means her staff.

"I couldn't do this without them," she said.

Bromley is not only attentive to the needs of her market. Last summer, she started to offer free coffee and a sandwich to homeless in the afternoon.

Now it has grown to about 20 per day who drop by after 1 p.m. on weekdays for the light lunch.

"When we run out of sandwiches, we offer soup," Bromley said.

"It started out as just one or two a day, but since the summer word has gotten out."