Iconic Indian Coffee House expanding base, a branch coming up in Panchkula in February

After almost six decades of opening its branch in Chandigarh, Indian Coffee House is expanding its base to the tri-city. The iconic coffee house is opening its branch in Panchkula (Sector 20) in February.

After two branches in Chandigarh, the Panchkula one will be the third outlet of the coffee house in the tri-city.

Indian Coffee House has a loyal clientage across the age groups, who have been devoted fans for decades.

The Chandigarh Sector 17’s branch was set up in May 1964, since then it has hosted top dignitaries such as former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal, hordes of Bollywood stars, people from literary circles and journalists.

Even today, where there is a cut throat competition in business, the place retains its basic decor and atmosphere where intellectual conversations thrive. 

The Indian Coffee House is one of a kind eatery. It is perhaps the only chain in the country where the employees themselves are the employers. After the All India Coffee Board decided to shut down its branches of  Coffee Houses across the country in 1957, it retrenched its class four workers. The ‘redundant’ workers, under the guidance of AK Gopalan, then All India Coffee Board Labour Union leader, and Member of Parliament Subhadra Joshi, formed their own co-operative societies which came to be known as ‘Indian Coffee Workers Co-operative Society Ltd’.

The first coffee house of the society was opened in Delhi in 1957. The Chandigarh's first branch was opened at Sector 17-E in May 1964. Another branch of the Indian Coffee House in Chandigarh, which was opened at Sector 22, in 1964 was shifted to Sector 17-C (Near Plaza) in April 1970, but was later closed in mid 2012.

The coffee house came up with another branch in Chandigarh at Sector 36 in 2018.

The Indian Coffee Houses have a presence in around 20 states and union territories, under nine societies, but one federation Indian Coffee Workers Co-operative Society Ltd provides employment to over 6,000 persons.