If life gives you a blank canvas, Eliska O’Reilly would probably reach for the pink paint, add a few flowers and make sure there’s coffee involved. But behind the pretty colours and floral touches is a woman with a big imagination, a determined streak and a soft spot for the little things that make life lovely.
Eliska O’Reilly’s ultimate happy place? Somewhere people can take a breath, share a laugh and leave feeling a little better than when they arrived. That dream has taken shape as Bloeisel Koffie, a little floral, a little whimsical and filled with warmth that has very little to do with what’s in your cup.
But don’t mistake Eliska’s love of pink perfection for fluff. Behind the flowers is a determined woman with more ideas than her budget probably appreciates and a belief that kindness and laughter can change a person.
A dream with four little hearts
Before Bloeisel, Eliska’s days were largely filled with family life, school runs and the never-ending business of being a mom. “Being a mom and their personal Uber driver is still a big part of who I am.”
Family remains her favourite place to be, even while she juggles the many moving parts of running a coffee shop. In fact, it has a little place on every Bloeisel coffee cup. Look closely, and you’ll spot four hearts on the back, representing Eliska, her husband and their two children.
Tucked inside Laerskool Protearif, Bloeisel is part of a place that already meant a great deal to her family.
“As a mom navigating a new town and an unfamiliar school, I remember feeling panicked and stressed. Instead, we were welcomed with open arms, caring teachers and an environment where our son could flourish.”
The experience left a lasting impression. So, when the opportunity came to bring her coffee-shop dream to the school, it felt like the right fit. And the school kids? They’ve become one of her greatest joys.
“The kids’ faces, the hugs and calling me Tannie Bloeisel just make my day. I love being able to offer someone a cup of happiness, a friendly greeting and just a place to pause for a moment.”
Pink was never up for debate
The colour scheme was never really up for debate. Obviously, pink was always going to be the star, specifically Elizabeth Rose, named after her mom, Elizabeth, whom she describes as the most special and precious person to her. Flowers bring the name to life, while branded coffee beans, cups, sugar and serviettes ensure even the smallest details belong.
But Bloeisel is about more than pretty things. Its name means bloom in Afrikaans, and for Eliska, it represents a new beginning.
“Bloeisel is a new beginning, a new day, a new start,” she explains. “A small beginning can turn into something beautiful with care, patience and faith.”
Her hope is that the soft pink flowers and kindness inside Bloeisel remind people that even after a difficult yesterday, they can face tomorrow with a little more courage.
And if that doesn’t call for a cappuccino and a moment to regroup, we’re not sure what does.
The dreamer and her very patient hubby
Of course, big dreams rarely come together without someone helping to turn the ideas into reality. In Eliska’s case, that someone is her husband, Jacques.
“Haha, this question makes me laugh,” she says when asked what it’s like working together. “I’m definitely the dreamer, and he’s the practical one.”
There is just one tiny snag. She admits she’s always over budget, with another hundred ideas waiting in the wings. Jacques, meanwhile, keeps working away to bring her visions to life, even when his own workload threatens to overwhelm him. And who gets the final say when they disagree? Eliska’s answer is wonderfully diplomatic: “I guess I get the final say.” Somewhere, husbands with creative wives are nodding in recognition.
Coffee, cupcakes and kindness
While coffee is naturally part of the picture, Eliska is just as interested in the moments that happen around it. Her favourite is a toffee nut cappuccino, although she’s quick to recommend the cherry white hot chocolate, a pink Bloeisel signature, to anyone keen to try something different.
There are also tempting treats, including cupcakes so pretty that customers have apparently tried to save the decorative tops rather than eat them. Understandable, really. There’s something rather unfair about having to destroy a beautiful cupcake to enjoy it.
But Eliska’s favourite part of running Bloeisel isn’t the menu or décor. It’s the kids.
“One day, a man waiting for his coffee offered to buy ice creams for a group of children just as they were about to pay. They responded with delighted hugs, and he told me he hadn’t expected such a simple act of kindness to come with such a big emotional payoff.
“Another little boy arrived with a handful of 10c and 20c coins he’d been collecting for weeks, proudly asking if he had enough to buy one ice cream for himself and two friends to share. I told him he had enough for three. He reacted as if I’d handed him the world, and I had to blink back a few tears.
“Then there was the woman who handed over R100 with one request … that it be used for children who wanted a treat but couldn’t afford one.”
These moments have stayed with Eliska, reinforcing something she believes deeply … kindness costs nothing, but a small gesture can mean the world to someone else.
Blooming, one day at a time
Starting a business has taught Eliska patience and shown her she’s braver than she thought. Not everything turns out as perfectly in real life as it looks in a picture, but she’s learning as she goes. Given a day with no to-do list, she’d get dressed slowly, enjoy a quiet coffee and spend time with her family, devouring her mum’s food without constantly checking the time. Her personal treats include shoes, particularly if they’re pink or decorated with flowers.
And if she could share a coffee with anyone, it would be her late grandfather, Oupa Koos. “I miss his stories. The belly laughs. When we watched all the old Leon Schuster movies over and over like it was the first time. And his phone calls ending with I love you and look after yourself.”
If Eliska could offer her former dreaming self one piece of advice, it would be to trust God, trust herself and take that first step. “You don’t need to have every answer before you begin.”
Perhaps that’s the real secret to blooming. You don’t need to have everything figured out. Sometimes you simply need a dream, the courage to begin and the willingness to
keep growing.
And if you’re Eliska, a little pink never hurts either.
Pop in at Bloeisel Koffie at Laerskool Protearif, Van Riebeeck Road, Protearif.
Details: bloeiselkoffie.co.za or follow @Bloeiselkoffie.2026 on Facebook and Instagram.
Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. Image: HILDA MANS PHOTOGRAPHY. Hair & makeup: EA ACADEMY.
