Once upon a time there was a post and telegraph office which sat on Tuam Street, just where it was crossed diagonally by High Street. Technically, the address was in fact High Street.

Of course by the mid 90's telegraphs weren't a "thing" any more (for the most part), though admittedly mail had not yet begin its death plunge in the wake of e-mail and broadband speeds. Nonetheless post offices, which were once the cornerstone of communities (along with banks) didn't need to be as voluminous (or as common) as they had been in the 50s to the 80s. Some of the buildings started to be flogged off. In 1996, C 1 Espresso set up shop in the old telegraph office building.

What it was like back then, I couldn't say. But well before we arrived it had a reputation for an eclectically funky décor. In what sense? Well, we'll see over the course of the next few photos.

But really, you aren't going to see horses from merry-go-rounds sitting right next to you in the middle of an average café, would you not agree?