After a couple of years of serving incredible coffee and beautiful baked goods in Birmingham, one of the city’s much-loved pop-up coffee shops has announced a permanent home in Kings Heath. Pause, which has had residencies at the likes of Verbena Kitchen and Artefact in Stirchley and lifestyle and plant shop Isherwood & Co in Bournville, will be opening their bricks and mortar coffee shop in Kings Court this May.
Famous for its quality coffee and creative bakes like Kinder Bueno blondies and Cinnabuffins, Pause is set to provide not only a relaxed venue to meet friends and family, but also an inclusive community-focused space where care is at the forefront of everything. Encouraging customers to enjoy a moment of calm served with a slice of kindness, locals can expect a warm welcome and a peaceful space within one of Birmingham’s most popular suburbs.
Conceived during the pandemic, Pause started life as a home delivery service, providing quality coffee and sweet treats to Brummies before owners Farah Chaudry and Rory McGhie enjoyed pop-up success in venues across Stirchley and Bournville. Opening from May 25, Wednesday to Sunday, Pause will join thriving Kings Heath hospitality businesses like The Milkcake Man and Levain & Cherry in Kings Court just off High Street.
With so many other incredible independents in the area it made sense for the couple to pick a location that champions small, locally owned businesses, with Rory noting it feels like the right place to be at the right time. “Making our home in Kings Heath came as a bit of surprise to us, as we had created a solid customer base in Stirchley, but as soon as we visited the space we knew it was the right move for us. We also spoke with Levain & Cherry who were excited to have us in King’s Court, and we’ve already started planning some exciting collaborations,” said Rory.
Farah – who left a successful law career to pursue her lifelong passion for baking – said: “Pause was born during lockdown at a time when people needed care and connections, but they were often quite difficult to find. When we opened our first popup, there were lockdown restrictions in place that meant you could only meet one person from another household for a walk.
“The name came from the fact that during this turbulent time, our customers could come in for a takeaway but were not able to sit in with us. We wanted our customers to pause for a brief moment and allow themselves to be cared for – it was important then and it’s still at the heart of what we do and will be when we open our doors in Kings Heath.”
Rory added: “Coffee shops are all about creating safe spaces for people to just be people – a sanctuary. Life is so busy and with all the running around we find ourselves doing it’s important to have the time to stop, take a breath and find some peace. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to our new, permanent home.”
Pause, Unit 2 King’s Court, Rear Of 90 High Street, King’s Heath, B14 7JZ