Pop Up Retail Shops Using Shipping Containers
Solid Coffee: Shipping Container Outlet Opens in Bellflower, California
Here at Gateway Gazette we’ve looked at a number of shipping container based entertainment complexes recently. This week we will look at one company, Solid Coffee, that has just opened a new outlet in one.
Solid Coffee has opened its third outlet at the Steelcraft shipping container based entertainment complex in Bellflower, CA, which is part of the Los Angeles/Long Beach conurbation in California.
Two companies expand
Steelcraft and Solid Coffee are both expanding their businesses thanks to success.
In June 2019, Steelcraft opened its Bellflower, CA entertainment complex with a civic ceremony. Mayor Santa Ines said,“Howard CDM’s investment into the City of Bellflower shows that our community is moving in the right direction. The welcoming courtyard and variety of craft-food choices is fast-becoming Downtown Bellflower’s newest hangout for families and pets.”
According to Steelcraft, “SteelCraft first opened in February 2017 and became a staple within the Bixby Knolls neighbourhood of Long Beach. Soon after, both the City of Garden Grove and the City of Bellflower unanimously approved bringing SteelCraft to their communities. SteelCraft Bellflower opened in June 2019 and SteelCraft Garden Grove is currently under construction.”
This suggests that the rapid growth of shipping container based entertainment outlets are being welcomed by residents almost wherever they open. Some have failed but properly organised, many succeed.
The Bellflower site composes of 14 shipping containers arranged around a courtyard, with the site 15,000 square feet in size. Put in perspective, some 2,000 guests were at the opening as the community showed its appreciation.
For businesses that open in these sites, that can mean really good footfall and passing trade. Where there’s a nucleus of hip and fun businesses, those companies that have outlets can have roaring trade as long of course, as their product sells itself. This seems to be the case with Solid Coffee Roastery.
Solid Coffee opens at Steelcraft, Bellflower
Admittedly on a different scale to the multimillion dollar entertainment complex operation, Solid Coffee Roasters is growing organically as it pleases its customers too.
The company opened in 2014 as a coffee roasters and wholesaler, and due to its success, opened a cafe in Artesia, CA. This meant that it could directly sell its locally renowned coffee to locals. The company states, “The cafe was immediately met with huge support and has been a staple in the neighbourhood. It has become a hub for students, entrepreneurs, and families alike. You’ll often find people collaborating on projects, studying, reading, or just enjoying [talking with] each other.”
As part of its work, the company has taken steps to train and support ‘hard-to-hire’ people. The company says this has been a success, with their first trainee getting a full time job elsewhere thanks to that investment.
This year Solid Coffee took the leap into the Steelcraft entertainment complex. The new outlet is inside a 20ft repurposed shipping container from which they serve their caffeinated concoctions to willing customers throughout the day.
Though no figures are out yet, the high footfall that the Steelcraft centre attracts should really drive their business to the next level. The only threat to this we can see is being able to keep to their ethos of ‘simple, approachable, and remarkable’ coffee as thousands of people a day pass their doors looking for some caffeinated consciousness as part of the fun.
We wish them well!
Gateway Container Sales
There seems to be an explosion of shipping container based entertainment complexes around the world as more developers see the high ROI to be had from this cheap-to-construct building material. Whether for a quick five year revamp of a city site while big plans go through for a permanent building, or for something permanent in its own right, such complexes are really becoming the on-trend entertainment units.
If the idea of setting up and running one lights your fire, give us a shout at Gateway Container Sales today to discuss us supplying you with the building blocks for the next community hotspot!
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