A new coffee shop in South Norwood has just opened and is looking to cater to the "average person."

Gary Thomas opened Café Mimosa on Monday, September 11, but didn't want to make a big fuss about it.

In fact, in a turn of events, said "there's nothing particularly remarkable" about it.

"What I know about running a coffee shop is no more than the average person who enjoys a quiet coffee in their favourite branch of Costa's," Mr Thomas said.

"The idea of owning a coffee shop was conceived out of the huge number of improvised meetings that I've attended in such places over the years.

"Noting the little bits here and there that I liked, and harbouring a desire to one day relax in the corner of my very own place."

A security consultant by trade, he's more at home carrying out threat and vulnerability studies than producing a seating plan.

"Like most people, I know what a coffee shop looks like but it was totally alien to me how one functions on a daily basis," he said.

"I could imagine what should be going on back of house but potentially this could be poles apart from reality.

"I chose to endure a very steep learning curve and research every aspect of operating it myself."

Don't confuse his humbleness for a lack of confidence though.

"There’s been some fantastic feedback but one comment in particular that has been repeated many times by people that have called in and seen the work in progress has been 'South Norwood really needs a coffee shop like this'."

Café Mimosa is located opposite the entrance to Norwood Junction Station at 35 Station Road.