There may not be many coffee drinkers who remember using a red telephone box to make a phone call but these iconic British boxes are still dotted around the country and sadly no longer in use.  An initiative organised by Thinking Outside the Box (Charitable Trust) has been approved by planning authorities to transform them into miniature retail outlets.

Recently Jake’s Coffee Box opened in Birmingham, the first such business that operates solely from a red telephone box.  Jake Hollier has given up his previous career in healthcare to run the shop which is aimed at commuters passing by.  He serves coffee and sausage rolls and within two hours of opening had served over 20 customers.

Conserving a part of British Heritage

This is a great way of saving the red phone boxes from vandalism and dereliction. Thinking Outside the Box have several that they will be renting out.  There are a further two kiosks operating from the phone boxes , one selling ice cream and the other coffee, at Brighton Pavilion Gardens.

So if you are thinking about starting a coffee shop on the ground floor to work your way up, this is great way to obtain an affordable outlet for a starter business.

Single Origin Coffee Offer

Remember The Coffee Wholesalers have a great offer running at the moment – buy 5 kilos of any single origin coffee and get one free.  And if you would like some advice about setting up a new coffee shop we are happy to share our knowledge with you free of charge.

In other news

Many coffee shops in the US are running an initiative called “Coffee with a Cop”. It was launched in California in 2011 and it’s great a way for members of the community to get together and chat about their concerns with police officers.

If you have a coffee shop in Manchester or anywhere around Lancashire and are interested in hosting a “Coffee with a Cop” event let us know.  We will be organising them from October 2015.