Suburb is a new concept store that has recently launched in London. Its main trade is high quality, fair trade cups of coffee but in addition to this, Suburb stocks some of the coolest records about.

As a concept this draws heavily from Starbucks who have sold the soundtrack to your latte for a while now. Suburb, however, offer you a choice of 49 specially selected albums from the likes of Lemon Jelly, Thievery Corporation and Nouvelle Vague. If this doesn't intrigue you to try one of their caffeinated beverages then the fact that you can receive free wireless broadband surely will.

My visit took place at lunchtime on Sunday. With London quieter than usual the place wasn't exactly busy but the staff were friendly and helpful (they kindly leant my girlfriend and I a pen), the coffee was good, the music not too obtrusive and the prices were reasonable. The decor is also fairly well thought through with plenty of stools and tables to sit at (although these could easily be swallowed up by laptop wielding table hoggers), the design is very industrial with nods to 50s Americana (the coffee machine) and some ipod listening posts. My only issue is that there is nowhere to stretchout your broadsheet newspaper!

I'm sure that Suburb will make most of their money from coffee but they deserve to make some from their innovative idea of selling the CDs too. If you fancy a coffee or a juice and you're in Covent Garden ignore the usual suspects and check Suburb out.
Tags: Ideas