New independent coffee shop to open on Glasgow's oldest street

Housed in the former Western Wear leather shop beside the Trongate steeple, Through The House hopes to ‘continue its location’s legacy as a Glasgow institution.’

Described as a ‘comfortable, stylish space to soak up the city’ - the venue will also offer food and a curated playlist to play over a Hi-Fi sound system.

Through The House is founded and run by couple Lewis Maddock and Rachel Morgan, who both bring a huge passion for and extensive experience in the coffee industry to the table, with Rachel working as a barista in establishments ranging from indie coffee shops to fine-dining restaurants across the UK, and Lewis being a familiar face from some of Glasgow and the surrounding areas most renowned coffee shops, most recently as Assistant Manager of Thomson’s espresso bar in Giffnock.

Through The House will work with highly regarded, specialist local suppliers, including Thomson’s Coffee for their house roast, Big Bear Bakery for cakes, Wheatberry for pastries and Doh! doughnuts, as well as rotating guest coffee roasters from various cities across the UK and Europe that the couple has called home over the years.

There will also be a handpicked selection of teas and soft drinks, and branded merchandise, alongside plans to expand the menu and retail offering in months to come.

The couple explain: “We’ve always been adventurous, and the type to actively seek out the ‘good spots’ wherever we have lived, and it’s been a persistent dream of ours to create our own ‘good spot’. We wanted to have somewhere to share our passions with the public, to offer coffee, music and good times, while having the space to be fully creative. Coffee is both a science and an art, and there will be nods to both of our roots at Through The House.”

Lewis and Rachel have switched their respective careers as a research chemist and a dancer/producer to fulfil their dreams of owning their own coffee shop, and will combine their backgrounds to create what they hope will be a relaxed and vibrant cultural hub: a ‘living room for the community’.

Originally from Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, the duo hope to bring a sense of the North East to the city they now call home; a feeling which inspired the name (to be invited ‘through the house’ is an act of North East hospitality reserved for only the most welcome of guests).

Their backgrounds in science and the arts, along with their love of excellent coffee, great food and good music, will all come together to create a space that harnesses a warm and welcoming feel, while leaving you in no doubt that this is sure to be one of Glasgow’s ‘places to be’.

The couple continue: “We love Glasgow - we love the people, the humour, the architecture, the music scene and the food and coffee culture here,”

“We’ve moved around a lot but this is where we’ve always envisaged opening our shop. We’re so excited to meet our customers, provide a great cup of coffee and eventually put on some cool events too. We know that specialty coffee can sometimes be intimidating, so we invite our customers to ask questions and stay curious. And if coffee isn’t your thing, we have vibes for everyone!”

Through The House plans to open its doors mid-February 2025, with an exact opening date to be announced on their Instagram page.