New, Old スタバ

Today I visited a Starbucks / スターバックス / built into a 100-year-old traditional townhouse in Kyoto / 京都 /.

The space mixes the design vernaculars of a traditional Japanese townhouse and the Starbucks brand, to create a completely unique experience. 

This スタバ is on a cobbled street, just down the hill from UNESCO world heritage site Kiyumizudera / 清水寺 / and up from Gion / 祇園 /. 

The neighborhood is called Ninenzaka / 二年坂 /. It is quiet and traditional place. To be respectful of neighbors, there is a sign that says if the store is full, you have to come back. There is no waiting outside.

After you walk through the noren, there is a small entry area to place your order. Down the dark narrow hall, lit by light from an interior garden (with river stones, moss, and stone lantern), you pick up your drink from the barista. 

After getting your drink (crispy sweet potato frappuccino?), you climb up a steep, narrow staircase to a set of tatami-floored rooms with tokonoma-style decor and cushions made of local kimono fabric.

As a person interested in new customer experiences, the combination of Kyoto and Starbucks in this place wakes up my interest.

It is both respectful of its context and 100% experimental. 

My visit left thinking about the careful balance of respect-for-others and confidence-in-self that are needed to deliver such an experience.