Blend

I don't know when the coffee-house-cum-bike-repair-shop hybrid first appeared, but I approve of the ones (for they are plural) in London. It sort of makes sense, I suppose. Many cycle repairs can be done while you wait, so why not wait right there and have a macchiato. And nom a muffin. And covet the nice bells and £50 leather handlebar tape.

My theory is they are the brainchild(ren) of a group of students who, still buzzing after a big night, cultivated a shared dream of a post-graduate life where they would all live together in an apartment above an amazing commercial space that they would run, not-for-profit (duh), as a community arts centre and cafe incorporating a book and record store*.

Then all but one of the friends buggered off and got proper jobs, Amazon screwed the last part, and the only skill any of them had that was remotely useful was to fix a puncture. Et voila...

* one that made it

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