London – Shoreditch is where all (real) coffee shop activity is taking place.
Just go to Liverpool Street tube station and walk around that district.
There a few coffee roasters around and delightful espresso bars too. To name a few: Nude espresso, Ozone, the notorious Brick Lane Coffee, Prufrock…etc.
But if you explore East London there is something which is not that obvious to check out: Boxpark (virtual tour HERE).
Boxpark Shoreditch London
It might look like a place where containers are stored but in fact, it is a kind of (new) urban design involving various types of shops going from food to fashion and other unusual purveyors of goods. The city has this unique location of industrial looking pop-up stores…some shops have been here for a while and others are temporary, because of these shipping containers, which make the entire retail space changeable with a flexibility regarding floor plans.
Boxpark also has #Guardiancoffee:
…Launched in partnership with EE, #guardiancoffee welcomes anyone and everyone to drop by to debate the issues pertinent to the UK’s tech sector, share ideas and opinions, or simply enjoy a great cup of coffee… Source
Nude espresso being the coffee supplier for this concept.
Having such a specific place to create a non-permanent shopping village could definitely be the way forward for start-ups. Costs and commitments being limited and certainly not too high, give the opportunity to independent businesses to make a mark in the retail industry, whatever the sector.
In other parts of the United Kingdom, some Councils give the right to use empty shops for a short period of time. However, something else would/could be interesting: using empty office spaces as shops. Rather than having stores looking like a traditional shopping centre, all could be situated on different levels but in one unique building. Ground floor could be for clothing, first floor would shelter shoes and rooftop a coffee shop or restaurant with (ideally) a view.
So many towns and cities are thinking of a long term investment and therefore decide to convert empty office buildings into apartments, because it is almost risk free: the income will be guaranteed without a fear of a financial loss for the years to come. Going on the property ladder being a dream for so many, especially after the painful credit crunch.
If Boxpark is so straight forward why can’t we see something similar appearing throughout the country/world? A container is not that expensive compared to a real shop!? It can be adjusted easily and quickly according to what is needed.
One day it can have a counter and chairs and the other it could shelter an art exhibition by just using the existing and original walls.
Boxpark London Clothing – Photo Credit: Robert Wade
Pop-ups are truly part of the 21st century, probably because of the flexibility and short term trading options.
shipping container
Percolator Corner 