On my recent trip to New York I learned that if Brooklyn were to separate from New York City it would be the fifth largest city in the USA. Whilst remarkable, this makes it all the more shameful that I have never really ‘done’ Brooklyn on previous trips. However, this was certainly a wake up call to spend some more time across the East River.

Unlike Manhattan, something about Brooklyn seemed to have the potential to make you feel you were walking in the shoes of locals. We spent a sunny late-August Saturday morning strolling the endless rows of Brownstones of Brooklyn Heights, half imagining life behind the ubiquitous arched double doors.

One thing easy to imagine though, is that this life would definitely include regular weekend brunches at Brooklyn Farmacy & Soda Fountain.

Despite the name, this is a retro café-diner housed in an old 1920s pharmacy. Serving sundaes, milkshakes and traditional dishes like Mac ‘n’ Cheese and biscuits, this is a nostalgic Americana that everyone recognises. Yet somehow this place manages not to feel gimmicky but instead an authentic hub of the Carroll Gardens community.

The story goes that the old pharmacy had been shut and virtually abandoned for thirteen years until the current owners had an idea and a twist of fate (see their website!) occurred to enable them to restore the shop, and its contents of original drugstore ephemera, old counter and mosaic tiled floor.

My group and I sat at a big table at the back surrounded by old board games and original pharmacy cabinet shelves filled with weighing scales, telephones and medicine bottles. We ate insanely tasty cheese and Brooklyn cured smoked-maple-bourbon-ham toasties, buttermilk biscuits, drank traditional sparkling sodas and even found room for a small sundae as a sort of ‘brunch dessert’. It was the perfect Saturday morning for the last day of our holiday.

Long gone are the days that Longos Pharmacy, as it was known, and as the original floor tiles spell out, was the centre of a community but I was so impressed how the new owners have been able to completely respect its past whilst also creating something new for today’s neighbourhood. America, like UK, are struggling with the baggage and connotations of ‘nostalgia’ and its use as political and emotional weaponry, and maybe it is too much to put on an eatery alone, but this place reminded me that halcyon reminders and a healthy respect for the past in the modern world can be both fun and comforting. Oh, and it always helps if there is ice cream…with chocolate sauce.

Cargo is part of Bristol’s glamorous new Wapping Wharf development.  Whenever I visit my friend in Bristol, it is our go-to destination for lunch and a bit of shopping and is a great example of placemaking.

Cargo is a relatively large container park with approximately 35 local businesses operating out of it which has swiftly become not only a destination in its own right, but a wonderful community for the retailers who operate there, and a fantastic attraction to those looking for new homes in the development.

Described by many of the operators as the perfect solution to their requirements for their first bricks and mortar store, Cargo is a great launch pad for restauranteurs, entrepreneurs, retailers and up and coming niche brands.  Great examples are: The Pickled Brisket; a dedicated salt beef bar, serving locally sourced hot salt beef sandwiches, Something Elsie; vintage retro clothing and accessories, The Bristol Cheesemonger and The Clifton Seafood Company which sell seafood caught in home waters.  Not to mention Bandook – a fun, Bollywood themed Indian diner from the team that created the award-winning Mint Room restaurants in Bath and Bristol.

There is also yoga, massage and wellness, bubble tea, cider, craft beer plus a plethora of food, gifts and ethical clothing.

With regular events which see the retailers working closely alongside and supporting each other, Cargo really is a great example of the retail world being fantastically alive and kicking, just in a slightly different guise.  The community spirit and fun atmosphere translates into the customer experience and makes Cargo a place you want to keep going back to.

Panzer’s Deli underwent a refurbishment at the end of 2017 and the result is the transformation of a local institution which is once again at the beating heart of St Johns Wood life.  Originally established in 1943, the ailing store was bought by local man David Josephs 3 years ago, and is now firmly established within the local community once more.  Josephs grew up going to Panzer’s every Sunday for smoked salmon and bagels and was very keen to keep his family tradition alive!

Panzer’s makes grocery shopping exciting, interesting and importantly for the High Street draws frequent footfall and spend.  The result is a store which is continually busy, has a great atmosphere and becomes the kind of place you’d like to run yourself!

Panzer’s has an amazing selection of groceries and produce; bakery, deli, sandwich and lunch station, store cupboard essentials, fresh fruit and vegetables.  You name it you can find it; from Russian ice cream, Japanese sushi and Italian pasta to exotic fruit and veg, a sumptuous cheese counter and plenty of treats from home for the local American community.  The stunning florist display at the front of the store alongside the fresh fruit draws the eye and then once inside everything is beautifully presented.  There are knowledgeable staff to help with any question and help select produce or flowers with you.

Oh and did I mention, the people watching is fantastic and the food delicious?  See you there!

Streetwear has grown at a phenomenal rate. Fuelled by publications like Hypebeast, blogs like Sole Supplier and more recently by high profile brand collaborations, what started with streetwear and music has now gone full fashion, from Kanye to Virgil Abloh, the current Louis Vuitton artistic director. Supreme, the skateboard brand, perhaps epitomise this more than anyone. They disregarded the rules and bootlegged everyone; and in doing so became the most hyped brand on the planet, with queues outside every store on “drop” days and almost every brand from Louis Vuitton to cough pastilles in a rush to collaborate. Nike has seen this probably more acutely that most. For decades across the globe they held the position of the number one streetwear brand on the planet but by refusing to collaborate with Kanye West, they lost their asset and Adidas snapped him up. In doing so Adidas ate away at Nike’s dominant position and became the most relevant mainstream brand around.

Nike’s response to all these conundrums started with their fightback against Adidas. They signed up Virgil Abloh who created his reimagined workings of 10 classic Nike shoes and the comeback was on. Their next step was to open a second store in New York. In line with modern retail, just opening a store with a rack of clothes and a few shoes doesn’t cut the mustard. It’s about the journey, it’s about the experience, it’s about capturing the mood and drawing you in. Nike’s new store locates itself away from streetwear, away from the cool but still manages to command queues and fascination. A fantastic example of a concept store, it’s become known as “Nike’s store of innovation”. Comprising 68,000 sq ft over six floors, it has the largest selection of sneakers for sale in any store, with “grab and go” buying and links back to the Nike “app” for instant purchases. The store layout can be changed; walls can be shifted and showrooms made smaller or larger.

But by far the biggest winner for me (and many other customers) is a personalised customisation station for shoes. Choose a style of shoe and you have thousands of options to create your very own style. The staff wear lab coats and treat the shoes like a science experiment. When I visited the store there were queues a-plenty as tourists and locals alike waited patiently to create their one of a kind Jordan. The store itself was loud; music booming through an art piece of speakers that ran through the central core. In a tough retail world, Nike aren’t scared to do something different, to try and drive traffic to a digital solution; they are comfortable for this to be the ultimate shop window.

Did I like the store? Yes! Would I go back? Yes! Did I buy anything? No. Did I download the app to buy in the future? Yes. The magic worked on me and I’m certain I’m not the only one.

Eating well together, exploring the world’s best playroom and giving time back, Purple Dragon is the world’s best family club.

You have sites in Chelsea and Putney.  Do you have any plans to extend elsewhere in London, nationally or even internationally?

Yes, absolutely!  We’re working on a project in the Gulf at the moment, as well as looking at some new sites in London.

Where did the idea behind the original Purple Dragon come from and what inspired you to launch the brand?

I grew up living between Scotland, Scandinavia and Holland and was lucky enough to have lots of freedom to explore (and get into mischief) when I was a child.  It was only when my first son was about 18 months old that I realised how tough raising a family in a big city could be.  Great places for adults that hate children and great places for children that hate adults.  I wanted to create an environment where families could enjoy effortless, guilt-free, happy family time together.  Somewhere that was safe and allowed children some of the freedoms that I loved as a child, where grown-ups also wanted to hang out and join in the fun, or kick back and relax.

What was the biggest challenge you faced in the early days?

Definitely finding a space that would allow us to do all the things we wanted to do and convince a landlord that we were a sustainable business.

Can you give us an idea of a typical day for a member (adult or child or both!) at Purple Dragon?

It really doesn’t matter when you come to the clubs, there’s always an adventure going on.  Our play buddies are the heart of our business and they bring the club to life, whether it’s doing an impromptu game of hide and seek; an epic journey through Jurassic world; a spot of Jedi training; teaching the kids to roll sushi or whizzing up red or green smoothies; marching through the club in a drumming session; creating a masterpiece; or setting off a karaoke challenge.  Typically, the kids come rushing through the door and run straight off to see what games they can get involved with and the grown-ups get a chance to meet friends, get some work done or just relax with a great coffee or juice.  Families come back together to eat (eating well together is really important to us) and our all-day restaurant has everything from comfort food favourites (like our fish pie or our secret recipe popcorn chicken) through to poke bowls and seasonal salads.

There are a dizzying array of activities available for your young members!  Which is the most popular? Are there any activities you’re planning to introduce further down the line?

There’s genuinely something for everyone, whether you love to craft, sing, dance, jump and slide, bake, concoct, explore, build, demolish, make a splash.  Our pool and wet play at Chelsea are really popular and we have a great swimming programme for babies from three months all the way through to life saving courses for older kids.  In our bigger clubs we’ll be bringing in more dedicated areas for our older members.

What do the adult members tell you is their favourite thing about your club?

Being able to get a bit of time back, either as a couple, with friends or as a family.  Having everything under the one roof – art, music, dance, cooking, creative play.  High energy play, the pool, golf simulator, restaurant, library, lounge – lets our families enjoy time together with everyone doing something they love.  Guilt free family time.

Where do you hope to be in 10 years’ time?

One of our members said recently that it’s clear there’s an ongoing quest for perfection – we’re constantly looking at ways to keep the club fresh and innovative, so hopefully we’ll have a bunch of international and UK clubs and we’ll have expanded our services and launched a product range.

What is the capacity of your clubs?  Do you operate a waiting list?

We’re really lucky to have had a waiting list at Chelsea constantly since we opened.  We look at our flow and membership mix really carefully every week and aim for the clubs to feel buzzy, but not rammed!

If you could give anybody one piece of advice about working with children, what would it be?

Have a sense of humour.

What sets Purple Dragon apart from your competitors?

We’re genuinely for the whole family and we’re passionate about play and great service.

Do you think creating a space that is just as enjoyable for the adults as it is the children, is part of the key to your success?

Definitely, every moment you get with your children is precious time.  Helping families build great memories is what we aim to do.

www.purpledragonplay.com

I’ve always been a great admirer of Stella McCartney (mainly for her ethical values and compassion for animals) so when she opened her new flagship store in Bond Street, which is meant to be reflection of these things and more, I was keen to take look.

Armed with my 5 year old and my partner’s credit card (having convinced him he really wanted to buy her a pair of Stella McCartney jeans) we set off to admire the sustainable wall coverings and breathe in the clean air (more about this later).

It certainly didn’t disappoint. Stella’s mantra is reclaim, reuse, recycle and this was apparent from the moment we walked in. We were greeted by a mini rockery, shipped in from the McCartney farm in Scotland, complete with moss. Once we’d got past that there was the wallpaper, which is paper-mache (apparently inspired by the pebble-dashed exterior walls of buildings in Stella’s childhood – let’s not bring these back!) and made entirely from waste office paper from Stella’s London office.

A particular favourite feature of mine was the recycled, pink, faux fur from previous collections which lined the “Stellavator”, but as if this wasn’t enough, the childrens’ department has a ball pond and climbing wall!  Which fabulous person thought of this?  Please can we have one in every shop / salon in the land?!

Once I’d lost my daughter to the ball pond, I was able to fully immerse myself in the other features the store had to offer; the glorious solid steel spiral staircase filled with the sound of unreleased music from Stella’s superstar father, Paul McCartney and another favourite of mine; the squeezy recycled foam furniture.  But the best bit by far is the clean, filtered air which has 95% of the pollutants removed; surely this will go some way towards highlighting how bad the quality of London’s air is?

All in all, I think it is a great and important effort by Stella McCartney to highlight our urgent need to reclaim, reuse, recycle and the role that consumers and the fashion world play in this.

Established to provide exceptional food, elevating London’s perception of ‘grab and go’.

When you first began with the idea of setting up a takeaway food brand, did you initially set out for the concept to be based around the humble egg, if so what was the reason behind this?

We love eggs, and our Eggs Benedict might just be my favourite dish, but Yolk isn’t an egg-led concept. We serve ‘foodie’ fast food – we aim to be the memorable, exciting breakfast and lunch option. London is such an amazing culinary city, but ‘grab and go’ options are painfully dull. We wanted to bring some excitement to people’s working days.

Before establishing Yolk you had an office based job, what was the turning point that led to changing your career to food?

I always knew I wanted to set up my own business, and whenever I started daydreaming I’d always end up at food. It was the thing that really inspired and excited me. I’ve always been a food lover, but I had no experience in the hospitality industry. Eventually though, I thought I should stop talking about it and give it a go.

What have been the main contributors to your brand’s success?

I suppose perseverance, a great team and good advice. We’ve worked extremely hard from the beginning, despite some major ups and downs, and I think we wouldn’t be where we are today without being a bit stubborn and completely committed to the business. I’m very lucky to have found a fantastic team, who really make Yolk what it is and give me total confidence that the product and experience will always be at the right level. And I’ve received so much kind, generous and perceptive advice from those with more experience than I – so often I’ll learn more from a 20 minute conversation than I have through years of research and contemplation.

Yolk operated from several pop-ups before opening the first ‘bricks and mortar’ site, what do you think are the benefits of having a pop-up site for young operators?

Pop-ups were an amazing way for us to test out various menus, formats and locations. They allowed us to learn the business in a relatively low-risk way, and they helped us refine what Yolk is all about. We made loads of mistakes, and hopefully we’ve learned from them and we’re in a much stronger position now.

Yolk currently provides high quality food on a takeaway basis, do sit-in restaurants feature in the growth of the brand?

We’ll definitely be focusing on counter-service and takeaway for the foreseeable future. We’re planning to open a second, larger site this year, and that will have some seating for sure – but we won’t be a table-service restaurant. I firmly believe in the opportunity for a more distinctive, flavour-focused ‘grab and go’ experience, and I believe there’s a lot of growth potential for us in London alone. If we achieve our goals over the next 5-10 years, we do have some interesting ideas for an all-day restaurant concept, but that’s one for another day!

Where do you see the brand in ten years time?

I’d love Yolk to be the benchmark for exceptional ‘grab and go’ food. I hope that we’ll have a strong presence in London and beyond, but that we won’t have lost our independent feel and commitment to quality. And I hope that we still make people’s mouths water.

How has the fast, casual dining revolution in London affected your business?

In a leisure setting, Londoners are now extremely demanding and expect high standards wherever they eat – not just in fine dining restaurants. People are constantly seeking stand-out experiences and won’t accept run-of-the-mill. That’s great news for us. We take inspiration from the successful seated restaurants serving gourmet comfort food – Patty & Bun, Homeslice, Flat Iron, Bone Daddies, Chick ‘n’ Sours. These places have taken simple, unfussy food and elevated it to another level. It’s odd that grab ‘n’ go operators haven’t caught onto this movement and are still offering the same solid but unremarkable food. We plan to take advantage.

What future challenges and developments do you foresee in the restaurant industry?

I see staffing as a major issue, particularly in the wake of Brexit – it’s so hard to find good people, and such a large proportion of the hospitality talent pool is from the EU. Companies will need to get smarter about their recruitment and work hard to retain their best people. It also seems that a number of chains have expanded over-aggressively, so I expect they’ll have to retrench and the property market will see a lot of opportunity over the next 18-24 months.

What restaurant are you most excited by and why?

I just love Padella and am excited every time I go in there. It’s such a simple concept but so consistently delicious.

What is your biggest piece of advice for anyone considering becoming a restaurant operator?

Speak to as many people as possible and seek advice in the areas where you are weakest – be they marketing, operations, menu development, property or anything else.

www.yolklondon.com