Industry has always been a significant word on Teesside, but a new Corporation Road eatery is changing the definition of it.

Located opposite the famous Empire venue is a cool new coffee spot you’ll want to drop by on your work from office days.

Taking her first leap into the hospitality industry is owner, Lisa Devanny. After previously running a successful make up academy from the same location, the pandemic took Lisa’s professional life in a totally different direction.

“I’ve been running a business here since 2016 after training as a professional make up artist and also selling my own range of products.

“Unfortunately the pandemic saw a downturn in bookings as people were turning online for make-up tutorials, which is when I decided to shake things up.

“I was lucky to purchase this building in 2018 and noticed that this particular area of town had a huge amount of footfall from the workers who are based within Centre Square businesses.” mentions, Lisa.

That’s where the idea of Industry Coffee House was born.

Renovating the former beauty parlour from scratch, Lisa took inspiration from her own home which features dark grey walls, Chesterfield sofas, mid-century wooden tables and a striking floral wall.

“I recently downsized to a smaller home so decided to use some of my own furniture at the coffee shop. I always try to make the best out of every situation.” said, Lisa.

And the other half of the building has been broughtback to life by a busy Saks salon.

Industry Owner, Lisa with Manager, Kerry

Priding themselves on serving up quality food and drinks at affordable prices, Lisa wanted to ensure that she wasn’t putting additional pressure on local people during the cost of living crisis.

“All our meal deals are priced under £5, as I thought it was important for people to still be able to enjoy a nice treat at lunchtime without worrying about money.” said, Lisa.

With daily fresh bread and cakes on the menu, Lisa is already seeing regular customers return to the eatery.

And Industry’s take on a famous Teesside dish certainly got the thumbs up from the We are Middlesbrough team. Packed full of fresh salad, their daily special of a parmo wrap is a must try!

Takeaways have already become popular with neighbouring office staff.

After overcoming the challenge of launching a new business, Lisa is highly ambitious for the future.

“We’ve only just opened but I’ve already got several ideas of how I want grow to Industry.

“I want to expand our offering to businesses and would love to cater for local office events.

“Eventually I would like to gain my alcohol license to turn the venue into a bar on an evening – after all, there is nothing better than sipping on an Aperol Spritz after work!’ laughs, Lisa.

Industry Coffee is located on Corporation Road, visit their Facebook page to view the latest menu.

When it comes to enjoying a cuppa, Middlesbrough has everything from quirky independents to chain favourites, discover what’s on offer here.

We are words: Grace Lancaster