HOBOKiosk has been a talking-shop for visitors for the two years its been open. They provide advice, directions and good conversation along with a distinct character of quirky weird and thought provoking gifts, home wares, clothes, records and ephemera.
Over the last two years the shop struggled. Whilst everyone loves the shop and its unique atmosphere, there are just not enough strolling shoppers or footfall in the area. Instead of being in the vanguard of cool shops, the city’s ‘cultural quarter’ has seen new apartments spring up, one after the other. Delia and Tristan, the shop’s founders say they are now let with the choice to either walk away from their commitment to the area and the people here, or find some new way forward…
WHY A PUB?
Everyone loves being part of a community – local communities, city-wide communities, arts communities. Communities bring company, friendship, laughs and thought into our lives, giving vibrancy and animation to urban living. Pubs are great generators of communities, from 2 lovers in a booth finding time and space to discover each other to large gatherings forming new social movements, discussing great topics and finding new ways of thinking and working in the world. Pubs are places to arrange farewells, greetings, introductions, the occasional seduction or betrayal. They convey all the requirements for grown-up interaction –Â including being places for just hanging and drinking and belonging.
So the plan is to turn Hobo Kiosk into Hobo Kiosk the Pub – a social place dedicated to the concept of community and suffused with the Beejay’s take on design, character, charm and good company.
Hobo Kiosk will be a haven from the flash and dash of life in an ever-changing city… You will be able to relax into a booth with a good book, a notepad, your knitting, an old-time newspaper, collections of cool old magazines, tell stories or ask for information from the soul of Liverpool herself, Delia. She can tell you where the best food, entertainment, beer and cracke is to be had – and where the bodies are buried!
Tristan and Delia are working with local breweries on a perfect range of drinks. They won’t have many, but will be ensuring that from the carefully assembled collection of handpicked beers, spirits and wines, there will be something to satisfy everyone – plus regular beer tasting events to sample new ideas and learn from them the secrets of quality brewing. All the Beer and Spirits will come from within 30 miles to keep the miles and the cost to the environment down. But the emphasis is on simple quality!
Coffee? It will be fresh ground, locally roasted and it’ll be coffee. Tea? the best they can find and it’ll be tea. Simple and well chosen ingredients for good times. Food  – delicious, fresh and simple again… Music? discreet and handpicked to reflect the city and its varied cultural inhabitants.
The pair have been part of the cultural and bohemian life of the city for all their adult lives. While it is tiny and snug they will be using Hobo Kiosk to explore the arts and culture of our city. Hobo Kiosk will host micro exhibitions and bespoke commissioned work – automata, art-dioramas, mini-shrines to forgotten gods, toilet-poetry, table collages and evenings of small perfectly-formed music, spoken word and performances – on the city’s smallest stage.
And if you support this effort to create a brand new social space in the heart of Liverpool’s creative quarter, they will be opening from 2 – 10pm.
Help Hobo Kiosk revive the concept of social space for adults:Â Â https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/hobo-kiosk
