The Collective, a unique interior design and cafe-bar concept, is opening at 34 Boar Lane in Leeds city centre next week.
Inspired by the Los Angeles art scene, the brand-new venue is being fitted with high-quality furnishings and tableware which are all for sale - with a wide range of drinks and light refreshments available to order.
Movable bookcases at The Collective will also provide cosy corners to work from; well as spaces for meetings, events and workshops.
34 Boar Lane - which is already home to several businesses - has recently undergone an architectural transformation, and The Collective is taking a 1,819 sq ft unit on the ground floor with space for 42 covers.
The new cafe-bar will open next week on Boar Lane. / Image: The Collective
Ellen Pryce of The Collective described the venue as "a space to refuel, unwind and discover".
She added: "[The Collective] will provide our guests with an immersive experience that encourages them to quite literally buy into our brand.
"We have worked hard to source some amazing British companies that produce high-quality hand-crafted furnishings and tableware and it’s exciting that we can allow our guests to really fall in love with the pieces before they order them for their own home.
"The large majority of everything you see in The Collective will be available to purchase, from the sofas and modern art, to the tables, chairs and even the kitchenware.
"The food and drinks will match the curated interiors with an instagram-worthy menu of healthy brunch and lunch options, incredible coffees and classic cocktails."
The cafe-bar have only shared illustrations of their concept so far. / Image: The Collective
George Haddo, co-founder of Kinrise who own 34 Boar Lane, said: "It is very exciting to welcome such an innovative and imaginative company like The Collective to 34 Boar Lane. They are the perfect fit for our very special building, where we are creating a collaborative environment that offers our occupiers high-quality office floors, small studios or co-working desks.
"Our aim is to turn iconic but unloved buildings into creative work and community spaces. It means that the city’s heritage and soul lives on for the future and real cultural capital remains in the centre rather than being pushed further out of cities."
Current occupants of 34 Boar Lane include recruitment company Charlton Morris, pensions advisory firm Isio, brand agency McCann, culture group Leeds 2023 and popular Yorkshire restaurant chain Mowgli.
Everything in the space will be available for purchase. / Image: The Collective
The Collective will open next week. For more information, visit the Collective Inc website.
The Merrion Centre is set to welcome one of the UK’s fastest-growing specialist music retailers.
K-pop fans, you're going to love this one.
Soft launching on Friday 22 May, K-pop Korner Leeds will open initially as a pop-up store, becoming the brand’s fourth UK location and its first in the north of England.
Recognised as the UK’s leading dedicated K-pop retailer, K-pop Korner stocks official K-pop albums, signed albums, light sticks and rare collectibles imported directly from Korea.
Not only that, but the brand has developed a strong national following through fan events, trading days, concerts and exclusive product launches.
The Leeds opening follows the success of K-pop Korner’s existing stores in London Waterloo, London Euston and Nottingham, with growing demand from fans across Yorkshire and the north driving the expansion.
Anastasia Tsappis, Director of K-pop Korner, said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring K-pop Korner to Leeds and finally create a dedicated space for fans in Yorkshire and the North of England. Community has always been at the heart of what we do and we’re looking forward to building a welcoming environment where fans can meet, discover new merchandise, celebrate their favourite artists and enjoy special events together.
“Our community has been asking for a more accessible location outside London and the Midlands for a long time, so Leeds felt like the natural next step. The Merrion Centre stood out because of its vibrant atmosphere, fantastic city-centre location and strong connection to entertainment and youth culture.
“We want the opening to feel like more than just a store launch. It’s about celebrating K-pop fandom and creating memorable experiences for the local community. We’re especially excited to see fans come together for our opening events and experience the energy and excitement that makes K-pop culture so special.”
Inside Pardon Me – Leeds’ newest neighbourhood record bar inspired by Japan
Clementine Hall
Farsley is now home to an ultra-cool record bar with coffee, cocktails and an unbeatable sound system.
Tucked away in the beautiful Sunny Bank Mills, Pardon Me is a record bar built around 'music, atmosphere, and detail'.
It's been launched by Scott Rapson, who grew up in the Scottish Highlands and fell in love with music around the time of the arrival of hip hop in the early 80s.
He then spent time travelling for raves, and visiting venues like Glasgow’s Sub Club and London’s Plastic People, giving Scott an appreciation for how 'music can shape a room, not just fill it'.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Scott and his partner Laurie have then spent the past three years travelling, visiting listening bars across Europe to shape the foundations of Pardon Me.
Listening bars, also known as hi-fi bars, originated in 1920s Japan - and you can really see the Japanese influence within the space and it's super cool interiors.
Images: The Hoot Leeeds
Bartenders here create a small but perfectly formed menu of cocktails and pour natural wines from Wayward Wines in front of a wall of vinyl, while a collection of Scott's records play as a soundtrack to your evening.
The sound system Scott claims is one of the "best in the North East", which he says has a "real sense of depth and balance to it" with a "coverage that stays incredibly consistent across the room".
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Whether it's for coffee during the day, or drinks into the evening, they want Pardon Me to be a place to spend time, looking out across Sunny Bank Mills.
Pardon Me is open Thursday - Sunday, and you can find out more about this wonderful new opening here.
Sophie Smith -
19th November 2021 
