With a history in Brisbane of constructing and leasing standalone box cafes to small businesses, The Box Brand is responsible for leading the charge in mixed micro tenancies across the city. By installing prefabricated shop spaces in under utilised areas of the city, The Box Brand is hoping to create a shift in the way Brisbane’s food scene grows by linking operators to locations where they will be most successful. Manufactured at The Box Brand’s warehouse in Caboolture and installed speedily on site, these multi-tenancy buildings provide flexibility for tenants, a smaller environmental footprint and an economically viable option when compared to brick and mortar locations. The Box on James is the first semi-permanent location to be owned and operated by The Box Brand, which has provided urban retail opportunities to three new businesses.

The first of the three tenants is The Shed on James, a venture by Michael Drummond and Phillip Di Bella. The Shed offers quick and easy coffee plus a range of cold drinks for those meandering down James Street. The duo has chosen Where’s Marcel? as its coffee of choice. Where’s Marcel? is roasted artisan coffee that is sourced ethically from farmers directly and is a highly sought after coffee brand from Melbourne that can only be found in Brisbane at The Shed on James. The Shed will soon be delivering coffee to New Farm, Newstead and Teneriffe doorsteps via vespa, so those in dire need of a caffeine fix will be catered for.

The middle tenant is Flourish Superfood Cafe, run by fitness fanatic Robert Van Der Westhuizen. Entering the healthy food scene with Flourish, Robert has narrowed his approach to a wholesome selection of nutritious acai bowls, smoothies and juices. In addition to these healthy options, Flourish also stocks a range of raw treats from Raw Lovely Two. Everything on the menu is vegan, dairy free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and paleo, meaning that everything is guilt-free as well.

Rounding out the trio is The Brezel Co, the brainchild of Wolfgang Kelke of King Of Cakes. Choosing to come on board at The Box on James with the idea of trying something new, Wolfgang has devised a range of brezels – a soft pretzel variety that sits at a halfway point between bread and cake. Brezels come dipped in a variety of toppings, with flavours including cookies & cream, black forest, hazelnut delight and banoffee pie. The Brezel Co also sells a range of bagels with cream cheese and hot smoked salmon, and a range of pluffins, traditional pretzels and loaves of bread.

The Box on James is open seven days a week, offering takeaway for wandering shoppers or outdoor seating for those wishing to linger. Festoon lighting has been provided by Heath Williamson, and a glassed in rooftop space will showcase work by local artists and designers.