A coffee kiosk named Parakeet has opened on the Antrim Road in North Belfast between a Chinese takeaway and an Iceland supermarket. The business began serving six months ago. It sources beans from house roaster Established Coffee and guest roasters.

Matthew Nelson manages daily operations at Parakeet. The name draws from parakeets spotted in nearby Waterworks park. Nelson started in coffee at Starbucks post-coronavirus and later worked at Established Coffee.

The kiosk forms part of plans for a community and arts hub in the adjacent building. Local architects Garreth McMahon and Fearghal Murray own both the building and the coffee shop. Renovation work continues on the site.

The space will function as an architecture practice on weekdays. Evenings and weekends will host community events, live music, an art gallery, lectures and group meetings under the project name The Living House.

Plans include converting the area around Parakeet into a garden with public seating. Nelson stated the hub will hold regular events. The business has built a regular customer base from the local area and beyond.

Community engagement includes a mascot-naming contest won by the name Parakeith. Nelson noted locals have long wanted such a space on Antrim Road and efforts focus on involving residents in decisions.