‘It definitely feels like the right time to be here’
In 2011, David Abrahamovitch had the idea of turning his dad’s fledgling mobile phone shop in Shoreditch into a coffee shop. It’s hardly a unique start – we see shops turned into cafes or vice versa all the time – but it has proven to be a brilliant decision that has stood the test of time.
Some 14 years later, that very coffee shop has now just opened its first ever store in Manchester – almost 200 miles apart from its very humble beginnings of that first phone shop-turned-Grind.
And in fact, David says that Gary Neville is partly responsible for Grind’s arrival in the city. He previously explained that he had been able to ‘finally find the perfect home’ or the chain thanks to the former Manchester United star.
Opening in the new St. Michael’s development, neatly in between Manchester Town Hall and Deansgate, it’s an area of town that most people will know about, but perhaps one that they’ve never really discovered until now.
Grind’s arrival in the city marks its first outside of London, but you wouldn’t know that from its distinct charm – which includes marble-top table, comfy booth seats and even a neon sign incorporating lyrics from local indie-pop band Corella.
The triple-whammy venue – a café, cocktail bar, and all day restaurant – specialises in cocktails, coffee and brunch. Think a spicy Mango & Coconut Picante cocktail, followed by homemade crumpets with poached eggs and smoked salmon, and finished off with a cold brew.
One particular highlight you won’t want to miss out on is their fresh-to-order buttermilk pancakes. Thick, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they are perhaps some of the best in town – served with whipped mascarpone, berry compote and maple syrup. It’s delightful and clearly one of the best-sellers.
Elsewhere on the menu, there’s iced coffees, all-day breakfasts, French toast, Acai bowls, and beautiful sweetcorn fritters – with an incredible subtle-yet-spicy sauce. Alongside the spicy Picante, there’s cocktails like the Hugo Spritz – with St-Germain Prosecco, soda and mint.
Whilst the menu will stay relatively the same as London, if you’ve been to any of Grind’s 12 cafes and coffee shops in the capital before, you might spot some things that are different here in Manchester.
“It definitely feels like this is a more grown up Grind compared to the others,” Frankie Cooke, Brand Marketing Manager at Grind, tells the Manchester Evening News. “For us, it’s a sign that things have evolved – it feels like a nice progression from the sites we already have.”
And the team behind Grind don’t want to be just another London brand popping up in the city. They say they’re prepared to embed themselves in what makes Manchester special.
“We wanted to embed ourselves in the culture and feeling here,” Frankie explains. “It’s always been about what’s going on in the community and being a part of that.”
In London, Grind has hosted live events and takeovers with popular brands. Just recently, they unveiled a collaboration to mark the 30th anniversary of Clueless – with a themed brunch and special merch. Without naming any names, they say big things are in the pipeline for Manchester too.
Asked what makes Grind different from any other coffee shop or café, Frankie says: “We’ve always wanted to be a space for people to hang out, whatever they’re doing and whether it’s working or meeting friends.
“It’s a place you can go at any time throughout the day for a coffee or cocktail that isn’t really a coffee shop – it wasn’t something that really existed when Grind first opened.”
So, why Manchester? Well, David’s wife is from Manchester, which certainly helped with the decision, but it was also a case of the right place at the right time, Frankie says. “This opportunity came up and it just made sense,” she explains. “It’s a really exciting place to be. It definitely feels like the right time to be here.”
Grind’s arrival also marks a pretty exciting chapter in the St. Michael’s development, which has been long-talked about and in the making since 2016. With places like Grind now opening within, it feels like it will slowly start to become the hive of activity it is anticipated to be.
“It’s really exciting to be one of the first here,” It’ll be nice to see how it continues to get busier and busier as more things are completed.
When mentioning that perhaps most people in the North West will know Grind as a coffee pod supplier rather than a café or restaurant, Frankie says it’s quite a full circle moment to have people who have never heard of the brand as a venue before.
“In the beginning, people bought our coffee pods because they enjoyed the coffee and the atmosphere at our sites,” she says. “Now, we’re getting people who tell us they love our coffee and want to try it at one of our venues. It’s a different kind of experience – and that’s always exciting for us.”
Founder David added: “We’re opening in Manchester next week — and we couldn’t be more excited. There’s such an energy in the city right now, and it’s been amazing being here in the lead-up.
“We can’t wait to meet our new neighbours at No.1 St Michael’s, welcome the local community, and finally have a place for our Manchester customers to come and see us IRL.”
And, the Grind team hopes, just as that neon sign from Corella implies, that nights at this Manchester venue will really be ‘the best of times’.
Grind opens Monday (June 23) at No.1 St Michael’s, 36 Jackson’s Row, Manchester, M2 5WD.
