Back to Case Studies

Spotlight on 92 Degrees Coffee

Retail

What does it take to launch a new brand into a station?

92 Degrees began as an independent store nestled between Liverpool’s two cathedrals and has grown to be a household name. The team recently opened their first kiosk site at Liverpool Lime Street, and share the story of their beginnings, the journey to Lime Street and some of the weird and wonderful customers they’ve met along the way.

92 Degrees Liverpool Lime Street

The very first cup

92 Degrees started back in 2015, opening the doors of its then-only store, sandwiched between Liverpool’s two cathedrals, facing the grand Philharmonic Hall and next door to the award-winning Hope Street Hotel.

Since first opening the doors the team has always been embedded in the cultural tapestry of the area, applying as much care and consideration to the experience people have in its spaces as they do to the coffee they source and roast by hand in their Roastery, set on Liverpool’s world-renowned waterfront.

Led by founder Jack Brewitt and Co-founder Gerard Bowers-McIntyre, the company has grown from one store in Liverpool to now operating 20 locations across the Northwest and Scotland. In summer 2024, they opened the kiosk at Liverpool Lime Street station, which is something Jack and Gerard had always hoped for when starting out.

We caught up with them between brews to get to know the team a bit better.

A long time coming

“We had wanted a site at Lime Street station in 2017 and started a conversation that we never realised would come to fruition in 2024. Once we got to the point of formal submission everything happened rather quickly, we did have a bit of ‘musical kiosk’ in terms of the placement, as we obviously had to support the needs of the station team and also the interests of Liverpool City Council in terms of the cultural heritage and listing of the station.

“Once we found and agreed on the sweet spot the actual time between hoarding going up for the installation of the kiosk to then opening was lightning fast, everything was completed and signed off in a few weeks. We are super proud of the kiosk and the team that works in it are superstars, it’s been a pleasure to work with and get to know the station and wider network rail team.”

Lessons from Lime Street: marketing tips and tricks

“We recently hosted an exciting activation event with Flawsome drinks at our Liverpool Lime Street location, which was a great success! By integrating creative props, hosting engaging giveaways and providing delicious samples, we captivated the attention of Liverpool’s commuters and created a vibrant and memorable product launch experience.

“The positive feedback and enthusiastic participation during the event exceeded our expectations, reinforcing the need for interactive in-person marketing initiatives. We’re excited to build on this momentum and continue providing #DamnFineCoffee™ all over the UK!”

Why is station retail such a great opportunity for brands large and small?

“We love the energy and buzz of the station environment, in parallel to the fact that we can still build a community of regular customers. It’s awesome to be part of something even bigger than us in terms of Network Rail and train operators, we are now a part of something that spans the whole country and we are excited to get the next site in progress.”

92 degrees has grown from an independent, small business into something huge today. Any advice for independents starting out?

“We started with one storefront and a 2.5 kg coffee roaster, we now produce more coffee in a month than we had imagined being able to produce in a year when we started. Dream big, but keep focused on the details. Each step we take is a learning curve and adds value to the journey, that way when you get to what you thought was the destination it’s so much more amazing than you thought, plus you have all the skills you need to take the next step!”

92 Degrees barista Liverpool Lime Street

Case Studies

Back to Case Studies
Related stories
See more related stories