By Ellie Philpotts
Despite CardiffÔÇÖs recent surge of new companies bursting into existence (not just reserved to food, weÔÇÖre talking everything from mini media moguls to estate agents), the area where we students congregate doesnÔÇÖt always experience this for itself. That is, until brand new business The Pomegranate opened its doors, handily positioned on the path we take every day en route to uni.
The Pomegranate is a quirky jazz bar/cafe hybrid, not something youÔÇÖre likely to already be acquainted with in Cardiff. They only set up on 62 Park Place last week (25th January), but already the response is looking like an overwhelmingly positive one. So, off I went to see the place for myself and interview the head honchos, brothers Rhys and Hywel Jenkins, all in the name of Quench Food. HereÔÇÖs the general gist!
Ellie ÔÇô Hello and thanks for agreeing to put up with Quench FoodÔÇÖs questions! Well done for everything youÔÇÖve done so far, it looks amazing. Can you give an overview of what The Pomegranate is all about?
Hywel ÔÇô WeÔÇÖre focusing on three main things ÔÇô coffee, jazz and a bar.┬á So thatÔÇÖs coffee-shop-style-food and drink during the day, with alcohol available from 5pm, as well as regular live music throughout the week. WeÔÇÖre open from 8:30am til 8pm, except on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays when we close at 11.
Ellie ÔÇô So whoÔÇÖs been the brains behind the business?
Rhys ÔÇô I came up with the idea last year, and now Hywel and I are the co-owners, but we couldnÔÇÖt have done it without my fianc├®e Sarah, our sister Becky and so many other people we know.
Hywel ÔÇô ItÔÇÖs very much a family business (and weÔÇÖre Cardiff born and bred!)
Ellie – Nice to have some extra pairs of hands – what are you up to when youÔÇÖre not running The Pomegranate? ItÔÇÖs impressive that youÔÇÖre only 22 and 23!
Rhys – I did Undergraduate Law at Cardiff Uni, then was VP Education 2014-2015, now IÔÇÖm on a Bar Professional Training Course ÔÇô unsurprisingly also at Cardiff!
Hywel – By day, IÔÇÖm a photographer, so at some points I was juggling working at various Fashion Weeks abroad, with getting The Pomegranate started. Now, all of the teamÔÇÖs roles compliment each-other ÔÇô IÔÇÖve got a background in social media and marketing anyway, while Rhys does things like accounts and maintenance. As we grow, weÔÇÖre balancing our studies and job with developing The PomegranateÔÇÖs branding and finding our feet more.
Ellie ÔÇô Sounds like a recipe to success! How would you sum up the style?
Hywel – The Pomegranate is loosely based on the 1920s, with a speakeasy feel ÔÇô comfortable and homely. WeÔÇÖre decorated in quite a vintage way, with the antiques dotted around mainly from our family and friends.
Ellie ÔÇô It certainly looks the part ÔÇô can you describe it in three words?
Hywel ÔÇô Chilled, relaxing environment. Mellow in the day, then livelier in the evenings.
Ellie – What made you decide on this location?
Hywel ÔÇô ItÔÇÖs perfect for the student population, which our pricing aims to reflect, as weÔÇÖre not unnecessarily expensive. We like being both tucked-away and central ÔÇô weÔÇÖre easy to find, but keep some originality. The venue itself is also accessible, such as having disabled access and toilets.
Ellie ÔÇô I know itÔÇÖs early days, but are there are any plans on the horizon to expand?
Hywel ÔÇô Overall, we want to build the business and become embedded within the scene, but still keep the emphasis around our jazz and coffee. We donÔÇÖt want The Pomegranate to just be a fad ÔÇô weÔÇÖre keen to maintain the ÔÇÿhidden gemÔÇÖ feel and hold onto a steady flow of customers.
WeÔÇÖre thinking about ways to improve the decor and menu. Food-wise, we currently focus on sandwiches, wraps, paninis, drinks and light snacks, but will be branching into bigger lunchtime meals, like soup, jacket potatoes and a wider range of cake. WeÔÇÖre also hoping to add a wall with brass instruments. Altogether, itÔÇÖs been a positive response so far, but weÔÇÖre just adjusting to what the customer wants.
Ellie – I really like your focus on live music. There is a lot of it in Cardiff, but yours seems refreshingly different. WhatÔÇÖs it all about?
Hywel ÔÇô Jazz is our passion, and so is keeping it local. So a lot of our performers are students at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama just over the road, although sometimes we have more established acts, like The Bandits (a Cardiff-based jazz group). WeÔÇÖre lucky to have a diverse music scene in the city, and The Pomegranate wants to make the best of that, so weÔÇÖre happy to employ freelancers. We also donÔÇÖt have a constant loop of the same music ÔÇô weÔÇÖre flexible in that sense. At the moment, our live music The Pom Sessions which is free entry, is only from 8:30pm, but weÔÇÖre hoping to get a pianist at lunchtimes too.
Ellie ÔÇô Well thanks both, and best of luck with the future!
And there we have the main lowdown on this exciting new venture ÔÇô something to spruce up that middle bit between Cathays and the city centre (not the most geographically precise description, IÔÇÖm sorry!) while transporting music fans to a time bygone, and keeping the caffeine connoisseurs among us very much in the present. With a palpable uniqueness, charming furnishing and all the energy needed to kick-start a new project, it seems The Pomegranate is one Cardiff students and beyond will be becoming regulars at regardless of the time of day.