Big Moose Coffee Co. opens first cafe in Cardiff to help the homeless

29 March 2018 by
Big Moose Coffee Co. opens first cafe in Cardiff to help the homeless

Denizens of St David's in Cardiff can now enjoy a pick-me-up in more than one sense when they visit the first Big Moose Coffee Co. café, which opened this week and is dedicated to helping people affected by homelessness.

The 1,552 sq ft, 65-cover café on Frederick Street exists to support homeless and other disadvantaged people get back into work and society. Supported by Welsh charity Llamau, the café offers part-time positions, barista training and mentoring for careers in the food and hospitality sector.

Jeff Smith, founder of Big Moose Coffee Co., the company's parent charity, said: "The café idea was born after over two years of helping feed and clothe the homeless of Cardiff. We wanted to take it further and provide them with the skills to help rebuild their lives, and that's when we thought of the Big Moose Coffee Co. concept. We are passionate about supporting these people and setting them up to get a new start in life. The St David's café will be a great location for our baristas to learn new skills and gain experience interacting with customers in a busy commercial centre."

In the run-up to the opening, a seven-day kick-starter campaign to raise funds for the refurbishment of the premises received more than £30,000 in donations. The store design has been carried out by an in-house team.

Speaking on behalf of the St David's Partnership, a joint venture between Landsec and intu, Colin Flinn, intu's regional managing director - west, said: "We are delighted to be supporting this life-changing Big Moose Coffee Co. initiative. Big Moose's work in tackling homelessness in Cardiff is vital, and the new café will bring a new dining element to St David's, providing greater choice for consumers."

JLL and Cushman & Wakefield advised the St David's Partnership. Big Moose Coffee Co. represented itself.

The Goring launches hotel school for homeless>>

The Clink Charity to open Manchester café>>

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