In conversation with Moda, The Lexington and 5 of Liverpool’s best loved business owners

“It’ll be amazing to have all forms of arts and culture back in city centre spaces”

As the city’s shops, bars and restaurants re-open, Moda, The Lexington sits down with the faces behind five of Liverpool’s most loved hotspots.

Ahead of its opening in Summer 2021, Moda Living’s next generation rental neighbourhood, The Lexington, has spoken to a number of the city’s most popular retail and hospitality venues, discussing all things reopening-round-three, what can be expected from 2021 and what the brilliant city of Liverpool means to those behind the businesses within it.

Chris at Madre

The interviews with the business owners, which can be seen in five short-form videos, feature Dom Jones from middle-eastern eatery Maray, Natalie Shilton from Berry Street based vegan café The Nakery, Pedro Hunter from Baltic Triangle based gin bar The Botanical Garden and new site Sub Rosa, the infamous Steph Johnson from Scouse Bird Shop and Chris Edwards, the hospitality mastermind behind Madre, Volpi and Belzan.

Despite 2020 being a challenging time for the city of Liverpool, the interviews show an overwhelming sense of agreement that the past year has provided a number of opportunities that both hospitality and retail owners have been able to grab with both hands, something that may not have been possible pre-pandemic. Chris Edwards describes how he believes “grit and determination” in the past year has been the key to getting ahead whilst Dom Jones highlights the challenge to adapt to virtual events has bought about new “opportunities to work with loads of exciting partners” in a way they never have before, such as with the virtual launch of The Lexington, which saw Maray and Moda Living pair up to introduce The Lexington to the city.

Natalie at The Nakery

The sense of community, culture and creativity within Liverpool, particularly throughout the past year, is also a prominent topic, with Steph Johnson explaining the thing she’s most looking forward to is finally “interacting with people” within the city. Similarly, Chris Edwards describes how Liverpool is famous for “its friendly faces, its excitement and its nightlife” and how the city is “a never-ending spiral of creativity.” When asked what the city of Liverpool means to them it’s clear these business owners are humbled to run successful businesses in the city they love, with Natalie Shilton describing how being able to give back to the city she grew up in is the “most rewarding thing” and Pedro Hunter, who’s claims he’s most excited to “see groups of people catch up” explaining how “being able to be a part of the cities celebration will be amazing”.

Dom at Maray

As we look forward to 2021 and ask what the year ahead may hold for Liverpool’s retail and hospitality landscape it seems promising, with Chris Edwards explaining the appetite for people to get back into the city has been overwhelming, with Madre receiving “1500 bookings in the first week”. This opinion is mirrored by Pedro Hunter from The Botanical Garden, who is gearing up to open a second larger site, Sub Rosa, to ensure they can welcome as many people back as possible.

As Moda, The Lexington prepares for opening in Summer it’s clear the businesses within the city are ready and raring to welcome people back, and as such The Lexington will be partnering with a number of independent businesses to offer residents exclusive offers, pre-booking for popular hotspots and one-off resident events. All partner offers will be available exclusively on the MyModa App, which connects residents and businesses at the touch of a button.

Pedro at Botanical Garden

Jenna Lloyd, General Manager at The Lexington, said: “We’ve loved getting out and about speaking to the faces behind some of Liverpool’s most loved shops, bars and restaurants, and we’re so excited to see the usual buzz back in the city with everyone making up for lost time. Through our partnerships with independent businesses we’re looking to connect our residents with some of the best places in the city and in turn support the local businesses at the heart of the city that need our support more than ever.”

In a radical departure from the traditional rental market, Moda makes renting simple, accessible and aspirational, with no deposits, no fees and the ability to move into a beautiful new apartment within 48 hours. Moda’s Liverpool rental neighbourhood provides everything needed for modern living, including outdoor roof terraces, work from home spaces and a 24/7 gym.

The Lexington offers 325 waterfront homes over 34 storeys, there’s something for every age and life stage – from spacious studio apartments, beautiful 1-beds, through to 2-bed sharers and 3-bedroom family homes.

Moda The Lexington will open its doors to residents in Summer. Those looking to move into Moda The Lexington can register here for priority booking. Show apartments and reservations will go live in May.

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For more information on Moda visit the website here.