Co-op Micro Store – Solihull

Bowman Riley is partnering with the Co-op to shape the future of convenience retail by reimagining compact, food-focused micro store formats driven by immediacy and simplicity.

We worked closely with the Co-op teams to create a format that reflects the brand’s values while enabling fast, agile roll-outs across urban high streets and transport hubs.

The first manifestation of this vision is the launch of a pioneering micro store in Solihull, not a scaled-down Co-op, but a ground-up reinvention of food convenience. This new concept blurs boundaries between traditional grocery and quick-service retail, designed specifically for high-footfall urban environments.

There are no ambient aisles, tobacco counters, or health and beauty sections. Instead, the space is built around a tightly curated food and drink offer, led by a standout hot food serve-over kiosk, a focal point that defines the customer journey, delivering on-the-go freshness with speed and ease. The micro store format is all about immediacy. Every design choice, from layout and materials to lighting and flow, was developed to support grab-and-go behaviour while providing a welcoming experience.

The Solihull store exceeded expectations, setting a strong foundation for scaling this format to more locations. This new format shows that heritage and innovation can go hand in hand, and with vision, pace, and partnerships.

“Thank you to all of our teams who have built this and shown an organisation with so much heritage can still innovate at incredible, pioneering pace.”

Matt Hood, Managing Director, Co-op Food

See our other retail projects.