Popular radio station Buena Vida opens new Glasgow cafe

It's a feeling David Fleming and Suz O'Neill, both 42, had when they were visiting Spain a few years ago.

Feeling inspired by the late-night cafes they experienced, the long-time Southsiders decided to merge their love of music with the concept of a community eatery, and Buena Vida was born.

After getting the keys to their new Victoria Road shop a few months ago, Cafe Buena Vida is hitting its stride.

David said: “It’s been a bit surreal but we’re really pleased to get it up and running now.”

The project started as a community radio station, with David and Suz broadcasting from the window of their local record shop.

Now, the multi-genre station is at the forefront of their cafe space, where they serve a budget savvy menu of sweets and savouries made using local suppliers.

Suz said: “We always had the idea of hoping to have our own space in mind. But we started up in the middle of lockdown when everything was mad, nobody knew what was happening or what was going on.

“And it was quite amazing to move in here and realise the original idea that we’d had about six years ago.”

The popular radio station has given a platform to many up and coming musicians, DJs and storytellers.

Suz said: “The whole project is called Buena Vida (Radio Buena Vida and Cafe Buena Vida). Buena Vida means good life.

“I lived in Spain for a few years and it came from that, what makes your quality of life. And for us, it’s good music, people, good food, good drinks.

"We wanted to bring that philosophy to each aspect of what we’re doing.”

David added: “And making it as affordable and accessible as we can.”

With a decades-long history working in Glasgow's music scene, the radio station has been a natural progression for David, giving him the ability to promote up and coming talent.

He said: "We want to make sure that it's open for people who have a good idea, or a record collection, or a USB full of music, or something to say.

“It doesn’t need to be 100% music."

He added: "It’s been amazing to see the number of people that [the philosophy of Buena Vida] has resonated with. And it's brought people out into this style that maybe they never would have had the chance to do.

“Some of the best stories, some of the best shows, have come from people who were so nervous coming in here for the very first time and were shown how things worked at a basic level.

"Now, watching their shows month after month just getting better, and just watching their confidence increase as well, that’s been really cool.

“It’s that democratic thing that a grassroots station such as ours has.

“And you’re getting broadcasted, and hopefully as the profile of the station rises, it also increases the profile of the people that are on it, and everyone gets more noticed together.”

The number of residents at the station has climbed to 170 and Suz and David have an "amazing" team of volunteers to help run it.

They have secured a new bi-monthly night at the city centre club La Cheetah, helping to promote the new talent further.

In the future, Suz and David hope to keep the shop open later, serving food until midnight and furthering the sense of the space as a community hang out.

David said: “We’re just excited for people to know that this is here, and come in.”

Cafe Buena Vida is currently BYOB and open from Wednesday to Saturday, 12pm to 10pm, and Sundays from 12pm to 6pm.

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