Shot Espresso, the coffee shop, deli and apéritif group, is gearing up for its biggest site yet in Nova Victoria, with the possibility of two more next year, MCA has learnt.
The move will be the first in central London for the independent group, which has three sites in Fulham and Parsons Green, with the Nova site 10-15 times bigger than their previous locations.
The site would have informal dining space, grab and go options, and premium beer, wine and aperetivos from the bar, which they hope will attract office workers from within and outside the development complex.
Co-founder and director Mike Sheahan told MCA subsequent expansion would likely focus on Shot rather than the group’s gelato concept Ice and Slice.
He said: “It’s easier to get the coffee part right, there’s less bullshit to go through to make it work. When you’ve got a little coffee bar and you do it right you can turn it into a goldmine, you roll a few of those out and you’re laughing.
“There are a few more opportunities once Victoria is up and running and we can move pretty swiftly onto the next project.
“We’re getting noticed by a lot of commercial property landlords so we won’t have a shortage of spots.
“Maybe one or two probably mid to late next year. We could open two at the same time if it’s right for us, though we don’t want to go too big or we could be flattened.
“We’re more than happy to explore the areas were we are now, we could open 500m-1km away from one of our shops and it wouldn’t hurt.”
Sheahan the group had been unable to fully take advantage of the rise in popularity of Italian aperetivo culture and spritz drinks due to space restrictions and the English seasons, something they hope to capitalise on in Nova
He added: “These days there’s no point coffee shops paying rent for the whole day if you’re not going to utilize the extra hours, so a lot smack on an alcohol license and do wine and cheese.
“We do appertivos and spritzes which has become pretty popular in London, but with Shot, the aperretivo was only really pumping in the summer because the shop was small, and everyone wants to sit outside.
“In Victoria we’ll have a nice bar-lounge area for drinks, which will hopefully attract people from outside to come in. There’s a captive audience above us when everyone’s moved into the building for people to have a drink with their colleagues.”
