The Bold and the Beautiful

In a city saturated by mainstream coffee outlets (and let’s face it, that’s hardly an affliction we shoulder alone), how do you go about establishing a niche when the big boys have the market sewn up?

If you haven’t discovered it already, SevenStreets would like to point you in the direction of a coffee stop that’s found the answer…

Bold Street Coffee, an independent rising from the site of the Liverpool mini-chain, Coffee Union, opened in the summer. In the space of a season, it’s established itself as our coffee house of choice. And evidently we’re not alone – as BSC’s attracting everyone from those content to while away a couple of hours on their MacBook, to those with ‘proper’ jobs in the big city.

SevenStreets shared a flat white with owner/manager, Sam Tawil. “I did have some initial trepidation at the prospect of adding to an already crowded marketplace,” he tells us.

He needn’t have worried. Mere minutes after meeting him, Tawil’s enthusiasm for his trade comes across loud and clear.

So what’s the secret?

“If you make really good coffee, people will come.”

Good coffee is what Bold Street Coffee’s been pouring since June. Sourced from growers around the world, the current blend incorporates beans from Brazil and Guatemala, resulting in a smooth yet complex espresso with hints of toasted almond and chocolate.

Unlike the ubiquitous chains, who churn out the same bland brew whether you’re in Liverpool or Lisbon, Bold Street Coffee tirelessly toil to create complex and delicious new blends every time they restock. Their website describes the process with typical passion:

We were looking for something full bodied, sweet and fruity, distinctive and balanced…something which manages to strike a good balance of tasting delicious with milk and being a sweet, smooth yet complex espresso…

Sourcing his beans direct from the growers, Tawil is committed to ensuring a fair price, and forging mutually beneficial relationships for all concerned.

In the course of the conversation, it becomes clear Tawil has a simple plan: “to run the best coffee shop in Liverpool”.

We have a nagging fear though. Isn’t that how Starbucks started?

Tawil’s quick to allay our fears: “We’re called Bold Street Coffee. There’s only one Bold Street.”

Can’t argue with that logic. Seems Tawil’s well aware that the world doesn’t need another coffee franchise with prints on the walls depicting ancient Italian artisans, lugging around great bags of beans.

Bold Street Coffee doesn’t just reawaken our love of the bean, it shoots a long overdue jolt in the direction of lacklustre lattes across the city. Believe the buzz.

Bold Street Coffee
89 Bold Street, Liverpool

Mike Pinnington