Community Murals
Moosh at the Minster Exchange
Dan and Alex, the owners of Moosh, approached me to visit their new coffee shop at the Minster Exchange in Cheltenham town centre. I originally met the guys at their other shop at The Site when I was working on another mural for a local accounting firm.
Obviously, Norman came with me and ran the meeting! They explained how they recently acquired the new coffee shop and wanted to inject some of their personality and brand into the blank space. It was a white box with so much potential and I couldn’t wait to get started on design ideas.
Dan and Alex met in Dubai and that is where their journey began. We needed to showcase their story visually within the café, touching on their heritage, their family, and how they got to where they are today. Dan is from Wales, Alex is from the Philippines, and the addition of Lucho, the Dachshund was to be incorporated into the final design. I knew this brief was going to be fun!
I got to work on the storyboard and what key elements needed to be included. We discussed the style they wanted and agreed on simple, line work. There is something so classic, yet contemporary about B&W, and I wanted to bring in pops of their brand yellow to lift the space.
The story began all the way over in Dubai
It sounds so easy to draw all over the wall with marker pens and black paint but trust me, I got the sweats on numerous occasions drawing these elements freehand. Specifically, when it came to portraying Dan and Alex themselves! The pressure was real! Haha
What I loved so much about this project was how it visually told a story. It didn’t require too much explanation, and if it did, it sparked that conversation with the staff at Moosh about what all of the elements represent. A great way to interact with their visitors, and build those all-important relationships with the locals and the community.
Their firstborn was Moosh Cafe in Charlton Kings. This quickly became a huge success, and the guys made the clever decision to open Moosh at The Site. Located on Chosen View Road, just off Swindon Road, Moosh now services the businesses, and industrial establishments in the local area. Catching those morning commuters who want a proper coffee or brew on their way to work, or those tradies up early who need their caffeine fix. Genius!
The youngest sibling in the Moosh family is located at The Minster Exchange, tucked away in the centre of Cheltenham town right opposite St Mary’s church. This is where you can see the full mural in all it’s glory, whilst grabbing one of the best coffees in town, obvs!
The reason it’s the best is where it’s from and how it’s made. If you like your coffee, you’ll appreciate the journey those little beans make to get to Cheltenham in your coffee cup.
Grown on 1286ha of farmland in Brazil, at an altitude of 905+m, your little beans are given lots of love by their producers Pedro, Joao, and Milau Gabarra. Their excellent operations have earned them the distinction of being recognised as Brazil’s most sustainable coffee farm in 2019. The same year they installed solar panels that provide 100% of their energy! A story worth reading here.
The roast you drink today is Suspension Espresso made by Clifton Coffee Roasters in Bristol, with tasting notes of Golden Sultana / Peanut Brittle / 60% Dark Chocolate.
I have to admit, I don’t actually drink coffee myself (I know, I know!) But, I have been assured it’s the dog's doodahs and worth making the trip to any Moosh café for!
This is my biggest solo mural to date, at just over 20m2. Completing this took two and a half days, and I loved every minute. The guys trusted me to hand draw each of the elements, as well as allowed me creative freedom to infill with coffee-related doodles!
Painting in public was a tad scary, but striking up wonderful conversations with anyone visiting the café was also so much fun. Taking the time to stop and talk to them was important and something I try hard to do (when I’m not in the zone or on a tight deadline).
I feel honoured to have worked on this mural for Dan and Alex, and I’m hoping Lucho approves too! Being a part of community art is so important, especially in my hometown. I hope it inspires people to visit the café. I hope it strikes up conversations and gets people talking about art, murals, Moosh, and coffee beans!
Lucho - head of security at Moosh enterprises
The Cheltenham Borough Council paid a visit to the new location and did a wonderful social post showcasing how important it is for the community that we have such places right on our doorstep. Sometimes a lifeline for those needing social interaction and a simple routine of grabbing a coffee.
If you do find yourself in Charlton Kings, near The Site, or mooching around Cheltenham town centre, do pop into one of the Moosh cafes, and support your local coffee shops guys!
Catch you next week,
Kate & Norm x