The Steamhouse, a Midlands bagel shop that began its journey in a VW camper, is set to open its ninth outlet - in Solihull. Occupying the former premises of Fall menswear, adjacent to Timpson on the high street, the independent business is led by Redditch couple Ashley Baker and Kayleigh O'Mahony.
Renowned for their New York-style bagels, deluxe donuts, and coffee, The Steamhouse offers an array of breakfast and lunch options. Its entrepreneurial founders initially sold coffee from a van at festivals and weddings before investing their house deposit into their first cafe虂 in Leamington Spa back in 2016.
Their concept quickly gained popularity, leading to additional branches throughout the Midlands and Gloucestershire, with plans for a tenth in Banbury already underway. Customer reviews have lauded the 'generously-filled' bagels as the best found outside of New York, and others have recommended the shops as a charming spot for a quick bite.
The Solihull branch is scheduled to open on Tuesday, November 12. Owner Ash shared with his enthusiasm about the new location, citing Solihull's affluent centre as an ideal match for their expanding brand.
"Business is good," he remarked. "We've now got stores in Bromsgrove, Cheltenham and Oxford and, of course, we're still based in Redditch."
He also noted the logistical benefits of Solihull, being just up the M42, which aids in their commitment to delivering freshly made products at 3am daily to all their stores.
"It's a really good, vibrant town centre, too, with more investment coming with Gail's opening and good independents. We're also backed by Touchwood which is also very successful, with not many empty stores. The clientele is just right."
The new outlet at 25 High Street will mainly serve as a takeaway, but it will also provide some seating options both indoors and outdoors. The Steamhouse has grown its workforce to 110 staff members, of whom 80% are female, and the Solihull branch is set to create an additional ten new jobs.
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