Flagship Coffee opened this month on Portswood Road in premises previously occupied by The Nest, promising a modern, speciality approach to the city’s coffee culture.
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Owner Tyler Jones, pictured, took over what was The Nest Coffee House, carrying out renovations before opening, to make it feel more ‘us’ rather than ‘them.’
The shop – slogan ‘We give a ship about coffee’ – has now launched.
Tyler, who’s worked for independent and commercial chains, said Flagship’s mission is about “bringing an independent level to Southampton, and it’s bringing a place of community, rather than commercial”.
Although slap bang in an area with many options to caffeinate, including small ‘local chains’ Muse over the road, and Mettricks in the former Lloyds Bank building, as well as Coffee #1 – now apparently under the same ownership as Caffè Nero - the idea is to offer “more modern, more ‘concept’ styles of coffee” to the city.
“The batch brew, the filter – stuff like that, that you see in the likes of London, Manchester, Brighton, [we’re offering in] Southampton,” he said.
The reception has been “slow and steady” he said, partly because of the time of year with students away.
“But it’s been positive. People love the look of the place. The products. The design.
“The coffee!”