was an independent licensed coffeehouse and performance venue based in the Piccadilly basin of Manchester.
It opened its doors on 4th February 2009 armed with a two-year temporary lease.
An intimate place (only seated 31) it sold herrings for breakfast, soup for lunch, figs in the evening, wine by the glass, teas by the pot, coffee correctors all day and bloody marys by the jug. There were books, newspapers, journals, magazines from around the world to browse, blankets to keep you warm when outside, notepads and pens available to sketch with and free wifi to surf on.
There was a fully stocked grocery, a specially created menu of tasty things (that was supplemented with daily specials), the finest coffee beans we could harvest, other products, which we couldn’t categorise, that we found on our travels and an extensive wine and beer selection.
We hosted regular readings, salons, forums, performances, tastings, festivals, discussions and the occasional film night.
Residency events included cinema nights, ‘Arty Farty Film Party’ and ‘High Brow, Eye Brow’, music nights ‘Play Heavy Pop’ and ‘Some Drum I Would Never Hear’, book clubs including ‘The Bad Bugs Book Club’ focusing on novels featuring micro biology and ‘Tome Deaf’ featuring rock n roll novellas, and lunchtime lectures from Professor Peter K of Manchester Business School.
Monday to Friday we were open from 8am for breakfast and papers. At the weekends, we were open a little later, from 10am. And we closed much later.
We didn’t take reservations.
And the doors closed 5pm, on 25th September 2011.
All belongings donated to Barnabus Manchester.