Member Article

‘Flat-pack’ shop just the ticket for independent coffee chain

Independent coffee specialist, Gourmet Coffee and Kitchen, which provides quality food and beverages for railway commuters, is on track for rapid expansion following the installation of its first ‘flat-pack’ pop up shop.

The chain recently opened its newest coffee bar at Birmingham Snowhill Station and is targeting a further five new outlets by the end of the year, as rail passenger numbers edge towards pre-pandemic levels.

Gourmet Coffee Bar and Kitchen was launched by Managing Director Nick Garnell and his wife Liz, after they struggled to find the perfect beverage on their way to and from work. Since opening their first outlet in Stockport, the chain has swelled to 25 outlets, all situated within or near train stations across the UK.

Nick explains: “All I ever wanted when I was travelling to work on the train every day, was a good cup of coffee and a smile from the person serving it to me. But I just couldn’t find that and it amazed me, so I decided to do something about it.

“After weathering the storm of the pandemic, we’re now back on track with our growth plans and I’m delighted to be able to offer quality coffee and service to visitors at Birmingham Snowhill.”

The Snowhill Station coffee bar was up and running in record time thanks to the use of a flat-pack shop unit supplied by Worcestershire based pop up specialist, Rapid Retail. Due to its innovative design the shop could be constructed on site, halving the project installation time and reducing costs.

Nick continued: “Opening a pop up shop on a train station platform presents some unique logistical challenges. What is special about the new coffee bar at Snowhill is that it arrived flat-packed and was built on site, making the whole process quick and painless. Importantly, the end result perfectly matches the inviting look and feel of our bricks and mortar shops, while being eye-catching for passing commuters.”

Nick Daffern, MD at Rapid Retail, added: “It’s a pleasure to be working with the team at Gourmet Coffee and Kitchen and to have provided them with a solution that meant their newest coffee shop was up and running in record time. The beauty of pop up shops is their cost-effectiveness and versatility and this project is a perfect example.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Creative Leopard .