Hello and welcome to Kings Heath, what can you tell us about The Juke?
The Juke will be a hub for great food, drink & music. We aim to be all inclusive as well as flexible with what we do, aiming to constantly rotate and innovate making sure there’s always something new and exciting on the horizon.
You’re replacing Cherry Reds who have operated in Kings Heath for many years, what similarities and differences can people expect from The Juke to Cherry Reds?
Craft beer is very important to us as it was at Cherry’s, however we’re going to be mainly focusing on British produce. We also want to hold regular events, such as tastings or meet the brewers which is something Cherry Reds have done in the past. We’d say the main difference which might not be well received is that we won’t be doing breakfast (at least for the first few months!). We want to make sure we’re doing everything well before jumping that hurdle, and with great spots like Bloom and the Kitchen Garden Cafe we’re sure that Kings Heath won’t be going hungry!
What inspired you to set up The Juke?
Having both worked in restaurants and bars for quite a few years we felt that it was time to take the next step. After leaving our last jobs we were lucky enough to work with a company who restored and sold old jukeboxes. We thought they would work brilliantly in a bar in Birmingham, and the idea for the Juke was born!
Why did you choose Kings Heath?
Kings Heath has always been a great area of Birmingham, I (Tom) remember coming to the Kings Heath festival when I was younger and I’ve always remembered the buzz around it. The York Road in particular is fantastic, for a small road it has such variety. Between The Juke, Grace + James, Fletcher’s & the Hare & Hounds why go anywhere else for a drink?
We’ve heard the star of The Juke will be your 1960?s Jukebox, can you tell us about this?
The Jukebox will be the centrepiece of our bar, dating back to 1962 so there’s been a fair few songs played on it! It originally propped up a number of bars in Chicago so we’re hoping some of the magic has made its way back to us. Its a Rock-ola Regis 120, and can hold 60 7 inch records which we will be constantly rotating. We really believe it is an incredible piece of technology and hope everyone else will think the same!
Where are your favourite places to shop/drink/eat in Kings Heath?
Brunch at Bloom, shop at the hardware store on Silver Street, drink at Grace + James & listen to music at The Hare & Hounds.
What’s your favourite thing about owning your own business?
Our favourite thing thus far is having the ability to pursue ideas that you are passionate about. In our past roles we haven’t been able to have a strong influence on the direction of the business however we have free reign!
What three pieces of advice would you give to someone looking to set up their own business?
1. Don’t start your own business during the world cup.
2. Be flexible and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
3. Make the most of surrounding businesses and utilise them where you can.
Will you be serving food?
We will be launching with Pietanic in the kitchen, serving food from 12-9, 7 days a week, on a pop up basis. Once or twice a month we will host other chefs who will bring with them exciting delicious food!
Where do you see The Juke in five years time?
Hopefully in five years time we will still be providing food drink & music to the Kings Heath masses! We would love to branch out and open other bars in Birmingham along the lines of the Juke, but we are firmly focused on establishing ourselves as the place to be not only in Kings Heath but Birmingham!
Where can we follow the story of The Juke?
You can find us on facebook, twitter & instagram. Just search ‘The Juke’ on facebook and you will find our page with all the information about our products, events and other social media pages. We will also have an account on Untappd, which is a great app where you can find which beers we currently stock, with reviews from other beer drinkers!