Coventry’s only music shop and a miniature garden centre are blooming into life at FarGo Village at the city’s creative quarter where three other businesses are expanding at the popular location.AM Music has been launched to sell instruments and music equipment and provide lessons in a sound-proofed studio where they offer tuition on drums, piano, saxophone and guitar.
Black Flag Horticulture specialises in selling garden and horticultural products including plants whether customers have a window box or a garden.
Art Riot Collective is currently supporting three artists to have their own artist studio space and gallery space. This is situated in the market hall area of FarGo Village.
Sustainable fashion skate shop Project Number 5 has moved to Container 12 and will be introducing a skateboard ramp to create a skating destination while BiB Noodle Bar has expanded into Unit 13D as part of its growth plans.
All these exciting additions have been followed by Kirsty Viney joining the FarGo Village team as an Events Manager to bring new events to The Box.
Former secondary school music teacher Aaron Moloney has set-up AM Music school and instrument shop after organising the Jazz Jam sessions and music events at FarGo Village.
He said: “I love the Jazz Jam events and I thought FarGo Village would be the perfect fit for what I wanted to do. There isn’t a music shop in Coventry city centre any more apart from a guitar shop and certainly no-where you can buy drums and I wanted to teach in an enjoyable environment.
“Our lessons are open for anyone – our youngest student is seven and our oldest is 65 – and the business is going really well. I couldn’t have asked for a better first month. At our opening, we had a big jam session party with bands and local musicians and played music for the night.”
James King, of Black Flag Horticulture, said there was a real focus from him and store manager Mark Wilson on encouraging those with limited outdoor space to grow their own plants.
“I love the atmosphere at FarGo Village since it has friendly, creative and quirky businesses and we’re trying to encourage a more creative attitude to gardening and considering different species of plants to grow,” he said.
“I think gardening should be accessible to more people because even if you have a small space such as a window ledge in a flat, you can get involved, and it is extremely satisfying to watch the fruits of your labour grow.”
Kyla Craig, Creative Director at Art Riot Collective, said: “Art Riot Collective recently received funding from Art Council England. This will support the creative development of the artists who make up the collective as well as employing a number of freelance artists to help deepen practice and widen experience. This funding will also help us to include a number of family sensory art sessions.”
Henry Matthews from Project Number 5 has been based at FarGo Village for two-and-a-half years and is looking forward to taking his business to the next level.
“I’m hoping this move will increase footfall and it is going to be great to have outdoor space to add a skating ramp to bring more skaters here and help the community by providing lessons,” he said.
Qifen Bi, of BiB Noodle Bar, is moving to unit 13D to increase seating, for its increasing customer base who are tempted by their hand pulled noodles and dumplings.
She said: “We wanted space for growth, as this will give us more indoor seating and to allow more experimental menu items, along with our tasting menu.
“We have built BiB around our customers, who in turn, have become friends. FarGo has been a great help in getting the business off the ground which has been extremely enjoyable but hard work.”
Holly Hewitt, FarGo Village Manager, added: “We have always been focused on attracting independent, exciting businesses and it is fantastic that we have two new businesses move in as well as three more expanding here which underlines the dynamic destination that we have created.”
Photo Caption: From the left, Aaron Moloney (AM Music), Kirsty Viney (Events Manager, The Box), Steve Randle (Black Flag Horticulture) and Qifen Bi (BIB Noodle Bar) at FarGo Village