Well, my brother and I are turning this coffee shop that we bought into an anime themed cafe. So far, we started putting up some anime posters, art and some garage kits.
Ideas ahead are some screens to play anime but that's if I can scrape the money for this project (T_T)
Anyways, I was wondering what other things that people would like to see in there. Suggestions?
oh yeah, and there's free wi-fi for customers and I'm gonna get the usb wi-fi adapter to allow Nintendo DS' to connect easier :wink:
From a customer standpoint, if you simply have just some art up, some food, and screening, more than likely your target audience will have very little to do.
If you had some sort of weekly events, such as game tournaments, drawings/lots for prizes, and general activity in there, then it would be pretty set. Also don't forget to start with a "Grand Opening" price scaling.
Depending on the size of the shop, you can have some sort of "recent anime" going on in the background. Nothing kills an animation ambience then to show the same stuff people have seen over and over again on network television.
Hope it helps a little.
~Chun
cool thanks. btw- we're adding crepes to the menu too :D
Events are something the we've talked about before too. Running the shop at the moment is quite a handful especially since I have to run AG Art Studios at the same time. So event planning is pretty hard to do right now. Maybe once we are done with more of the remodeling this can become more of a reality. Events would be great also because we have a pretty good amount of seating and we have an area with a couple couches that we want to trade out for bigger ones. That way, anime clubs and such can have get togethers.
As for anime being played in the background, well I would like to play new fansubs but I'm not sure how some ppl will take that. I might contact some folks like ADV and Viz Media (only examples off the top of my head) for some sneak peek eps of up coming series.
Where is this going to be located? I ask because I know that at least Viz is in the area, so yeah, showing fansubs and whatnot probably wouldn't be a good idea. Still, I'm sure if you email some folks, show them pictures of the place when its ready and they wouldn't mind kicking you over some free DVDs to promote.
Anyway, I approve of the idea. We need more nerdy shops in the bay :D
We need an address for a gathering. >D
Quote from: "alkaline"Where is this going to be located? I ask because I know that at least Viz is in the area, so yeah, showing fansubs and whatnot probably wouldn't be a good idea. Still, I'm sure if you email some folks, show them pictures of the place when its ready and they wouldn't mind kicking you over some free DVDs to promote.
Anyway, I approve of the idea. We need more nerdy shops in the bay :D
Yeah, that's why I mentioned Viz. I know they're local. :D
We're in San Bruno, CA on San Mateo Ave. The shop is called Never Too Latte. It was a pre-existing coffee shop that we took over and now we are converting over to our anime theme. We also want to promote other art as well, for example we have some stuff posted up from a local Photographer up right now. We are slowly breaking in the locals to our anime theme (don't want to freak them out right away :wink: )
oh and here's some info for now:
www.nevertoolatte.biz
Quote from: "PeppstaR"Quote from: "alkaline"Where is this going to be located? I ask because I know that at least Viz is in the area, so yeah, showing fansubs and whatnot probably wouldn't be a good idea. Still, I'm sure if you email some folks, show them pictures of the place when its ready and they wouldn't mind kicking you over some free DVDs to promote.
Anyway, I approve of the idea. We need more nerdy shops in the bay :D
Yeah, that's why I mentioned Viz. I know they're local. :D
We're in San Bruno, CA on San Mateo Ave. The shop is called Never Too Latte. It was a pre-existing coffee shop that we took over and now we are converting over to our anime theme. We also want to promote other art as well, for example we have some stuff posted up from a local Photographer up right now. We are slowly breaking in the locals to our anime theme (don't want to freak them out right away :wink: )
oh and here's some info for now:
www.nevertoolatte.biz
Oohh thanks for the url. :3 I will check it out. This sounds awesome. Are you guys going to be hiring anytime soon? I need the extra income lol
It looks close to the San Bruno Caltrain.
Cool. I should visit sometime.
It probably seems a very obvious idea, but you can also have manga (japanese or american) and anime related magazines for customers to read.
In case you get customers bringing in children with them (-.-;), you can always give outline drawings of anime characters and crayons. (Though keep the kids and their crayons away from the other books)
As for the other books, you may just want to have a policy that if the customer damages a book, he/she buys it. Because books full of coffee stains, crayon marks, etc. are really annoying.
You could have cosplay days. Perhaps every month or so, there's a day where either one of the employees are in cosplay or they all are. Probably more cost efficient for just one.
Maybe also for an opening promo/ special promo days.... you can give away goodies to customers for buying something (or a specific item)... It could be something like a keychain/cell phone strap.
Maybe you could also arrange with Viz or another company to give out sample manga.
I wouldn't count on any company giving you free support, and if anything, you'll be paying companies money. You realize, anything you're showing in your cafe, you're going to have to pay licensing fees to the respective company right? Otherwise, it's illegal.
There's a whoooooooole crap load of other things as well you have to take care of.
You want real advice? Get a lawyer, and see what you can/cannot do.
yeah, fansubs is a bad idea. as for playing anime, I know that Blowfish Sushi in SF used to play anime but have music playing and the anime muted.
As for free stuff from companies, maybe. ADV has been making first episodes of new series free online. Like they had Xenosaga on IGN recently to view the first ep. I think it falls under the same lines as cons that screen some previews and such.
Free wi-fi for customers seems to be pretty cool right now. I just hate how I actually caught ppl sitting outside in their car leeching instead of coming in.
We are also working on getting drinks in like Ramune and Melon Sodas. I'm working with the distributors now.
Well stay tuned..
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions
Quote from: "PeppstaR"yeah, fansubs is a bad idea. as for playing anime, I know that Blowfish Sushi in SF used to play anime but have music playing and the anime muted.
They have to pay licensing fees to do that, or it's illegal. Chances are companies won't catch you, but if they do(I wouldn't risk it with Viz in the area) you're screwed.
QuoteAs for free stuff from companies, maybe. ADV has been making first episodes of new series free online. Like they had Xenosaga on IGN recently to view the first ep. I think it falls under the same lines as cons that screen some previews and such.
Yeah, but you still have to get permission for you to use that stuff commercially. Those free episodes and stuff are meant for private home use-only, you break agreement when you use it for commercial purposes.
QuoteFree wi-fi for customers seems to be pretty cool right now. I just hate how I actually caught ppl sitting outside in their car leeching instead of coming in.
That always happens, you can't do anything about it.
QuoteWe are also working on getting drinks in like Ramune and Melon Sodas. I'm working with the distributors now.
Well stay tuned..
Thanks for all the comments and suggestions
That's fine, but you're still missing the bigger picture. Your menus and drink bars, etc. can be virtually anything you want. You can serve milk-tea, and have umibo, and all that crap... but what differentiates that from any other generi-cafe(other than... other cafe's probably have better food because it's not catered towards a specific group of people). Your ploy is that you're trying to make it anime-themed and what not right? If that's the case, you have a lot of legal issues you have to deal with. It's common sense to hire a lawyer whenever you start a business because there are so many legal obligations you have to uphold to even run a business and so many reasons why people can sue you, that it'd be stupid not to get a legal. But since you're now dealing with licensing issues, you have to be careful with everything you do. Putting up a Trigun poster, can be considered use of licensing, and if whoever owns the rights to Trigun wanted to, they could force you to remove the poster and/or sue you for illegal usage for commercial purposes.
I'm not very sure about international law, if you put up a poster of an unlicensed series up, and how legal that is and what not.
Like I said though, you need to see a lawyer about what you can, and cannot do before hand.
Quote
Yeah, but you still have to get permission for you to use that stuff commercially. Those free episodes and stuff are meant for private home use-only, you break agreement when you use it for commercial purposes.
Yes, I understand that. I'm talking to them about it. I wasn't going to just get them and play them
QuoteThat always happens, you can't do anything about it.
Well, I can secure the network and then give access info to customers that ask for it and change the passwords daily, but I have enough to deal with so I don't bother, still sucks tho.
Quote
That's fine, but you're still missing the bigger picture. Your menus and drink bars, etc. can be virtually anything you want. You can serve milk-tea, and have umibo, and all that crap... but what differentiates that from any other generi-cafe(other than... other cafe's probably have better food because it's not catered towards a specific group of people). Your ploy is that you're trying to make it anime-themed and what not right? If that's the case, you have a lot of legal issues you have to deal with. It's common sense to hire a lawyer whenever you start a business because there are so many legal obligations you have to uphold to even run a business and so many reasons why people can sue you, that it'd be stupid not to get a legal. But since you're now dealing with licensing issues, you have to be careful with everything you do. Putting up a Trigun poster, can be considered use of licensing, and if whoever owns the rights to Trigun wanted to, they could force you to remove the poster and/or sue you for illegal usage for commercial purposes.
I'm not very sure about international law, if you put up a poster of an unlicensed series up, and how legal that is and what not.
Like I said though, you need to see a lawyer about what you can, and cannot do before hand.
If anything the posters I have are promotional posters that are meant for shops to post up or it's anime art of my own. I am familiar with licensing. I deal with manufacturer contracts for Angry Guy Art Studios with other companies such as Sony, Nike and Tezuka Productions to name a few. I know not to mess with licensing like a fool. Fansubs was an thrown out as an idea but that's more like a "things I wish could do list". I worded that wrong. Worst case scenario for any questioning for any poster that I have up, then its for sale. I do have not 1 but 2 CA resale permits and 4 business registrations, so if I do put up a poster that's not a promo item, it's for sale. I got that from friends who deals with that type of stuff and they told me that's one way to easily have these things up there. If I want to keep it, its for sale for $1000 and if you want to give me $1000 for a poster, it's yours. Simple loop hole. If someone asks, why do you have that poster up? It's for sale.
Food catered towards a specific group of people? No. I sell coffee, bagels and crepes. I am working on selling imported soft drinks, but they will be placed in a refrigerator next to some Cokes and bottled water. If you're refering to "people who drink coffee and eat pastries" then yes, you are correct.
So, I do keep that stuff in mind, so you don't have to worry about that. Thank you for your concern.
Quote from: "PyronIkari"
They have to pay licensing fees to do that, or it's illegal. Chances are companies won't catch you, but if they do(I wouldn't risk it with Viz in the area) you're screwed.
Oh yeah and this one. I personally know the owners of Blowfish Sushi. Manga Video gave him a ton of stuff to play in the restaurant. So nothing being paid out or illegal happening there.
I think a good idea would be to form an anime club that meets there. Then while they're there they'll spend. XD
Themed days of the month sound good... "Maid Cafe" sort of thing sounds like a good idea. It would make a lot of money as long as the proper paperwork is filled out. I'd join for the day lol.
You can always borrow ideas from other coffee shops and add your own twist on them. That's how good shops are made. ^_^ Selling japanese cooked goods are always a good thing as well. Taiyaki ftw.
if anything just make it look like your standard
fanboy/girl room...
like so:
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa787.ac-images.myspacecdn.com%2Fimages01%2F49%2Fl_9fdca0a968a77a156a01f0be1556640a.jpg&hash=12ca02a683637a6556a1aedaa531d777b826c538)
throw in some coffee tables and otaku snacks... i think your golden.
Good luck with business!
Huz zah. 8)
Quote from: "PeppstaR"
Free wi-fi for customers seems to be pretty cool right now. I just hate how I actually caught ppl sitting outside in their car leeching instead of coming in.
I could either be crazy or in a dream...maybe both. But if I recall correctly there is a way to have wi-fi to a certain area, as in as soon as they get five feet from your building it wont connect anymore. I know for my brothers home he use to have it that as soon as you exit his house you couldnt connect to his wi-fi anymore. Well thats how I remember it. And I know other areas do it similarly, well I think I know. Ok but good luck, and maybe I'll stop buy a couple of times to check it out.
Wow starting up a business that's waaaay beyond my level.
My advice is stick with a consistent theme and do NOT add too much selection on your menu.
For example I once saw a restaurant that tried to sell:
1) Chinese food
2) Hamburgers
3) Donuts
under the same roof --> TOTAL disaster.
I guess the owner thought he could get more customers by adding a greater selection of unrelated items, instead he scared people away. I didn't bother to even step inside. The thought of eating donuts with the smell of Chinese food in the air or eating Chinese food with the possibility of hamburger grease mixed in wasn't very appetizing. *runs away*
Call me weird but I think a restaurant / cafe with only 10 items can defeat another with 100 items on the menu. An extreme example - (In-n-out burgers vs. McDonald's). People keep on choosing In-n-out (http://www.in-n-out.com/menu.asp) even though the selection is ridiculously limited.
why?
Because In-n-out does fries and burgers better then anyone else. They've got the manual potato cutter gimmick which I never get tired of. How can any other burger joint claim to have fresher french fries when In-n-out is the only place that literally cuts the potatoes into fries right in front of you!
It's better to do 1 thing the BEST (that no one else can do) rather then try to do 100 things that anyone can also do.
I hope I wasn't getting off topic
and good luck!!! ^_^
Quote from: "PeppstaR"We're in San Bruno, CA on San Mateo Ave.
You guys are practically in my backyard. I'm going to come visit...
Quote from: "Jerry"if anything just make it look like your standard
fanboy/girl room...
like so:
[imghere]
Actually, I would would high recommend NOT to have your cafe look like an otaku's room. As often times it is highly cluttered, people may feel cramped or uncomfortable. It IS a cafe after all, which are places where people can relax and have room to breathe. I think it would be nice to have a little indie/contemporary interior designed mixed in. There's a possibility that not all people that visit the cafe even like anime, so you don't want to frighten/intimidate customers away.
You can do this by framing posters (probably choose the best/signed ones), displaying figures tastefully, and so on.
I second on the idea of a maid/cosplay cafe. One or two girls would be plenty. Good luck finding ways to fund that, however...
I would love to have a 'Maid Cafe'. Maybe that can be one of the events but not done daily. A couple of reasons I can't have it daily would be finding staff that would want to dress as maids and there's a bar across the street. I wouldn't want the drunks coming in harassing the girls. I already have some pervs that come in when our female staff is on.
BUT, I would do it as an event. Like for one weekend. Maybe I can colaborate with Fanime's Maid Cafe and we can work together to raise funds to help out the Maid Cafe for '08. (That's if there's going to be one next year).
Quote from: "PeppstaR"there's a bar across the street. I wouldn't want the drunks coming in harassing the girls.
Then I'd advise against the attempt at the maid cafe in general. The reason maid cafes thrive in Japan is because generally they're also placed in area such that otaku typically hang around, which is generally a sect of a city which is relatively safe (This isn't Red Light).
Given the affiliations that the United States has with Maids with sexual themes moreso than having a master being served his/her meal, you'd also be shelling out much more money getting the costumes, paying the hours; if a drunk or some "pervs" as you say walk by, nothing's to stop word getting around.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, you can't really have a "Maid Cafe Event" when the original concept uses a everyday service basis. It's something that would need to be done long term, as it requires devotion to emulate the correct experience, or reap an amount to break even/profit.
But of course, there's always the "Hey, we have outfits, we have pictures, we're a maid cafe now kthxbye" attempt, nothing wrong with that, but so long as you're not fanfaring the actual "Akihabara Experience". There's more to it than simply outfits and doilies on the table.
~Chun
Wow, I never thought someone would actually turn a cafe into an "Anime themed" cafe...
Well, it sure is a stretch, but hopefully with the advice everyone has given you, it should work out.
Although, I get a bit scared to how it might get critized though... Good luck though!
I would like to check out this cafe for curiousity.
!!! Omg, you guys are 5 minutes away from me! So visiting.
Edit: Damnit, but the hours you're open (at least on weekdays) I'm working. :(
Quote from: PeppstaR on August 27, 2007, 10:39:27 PM
Yeah, that's why I mentioned Viz. I know they're local. :D
We're in San Bruno, CA on San Mateo Ave. The shop is called Never Too Latte. It was a pre-existing coffee shop that we took over and now we are converting over to our anime theme. We also want to promote other art as well, for example we have some stuff posted up from a local Photographer up right now. We are slowly breaking in the locals to our anime theme (don't want to freak them out right away :wink: )
oh and here's some info for now:
www.nevertoolatte.biz
Awwwww man San Bruno, damnit! I was hoping it would be at San Jose, man. Oh by the way isn't there a maid cafe at the FanimeCon?
Quote from: astroboy on August 29, 2007, 04:50:35 PM
Wow starting up a business that's waaaay beyond my level.
My advice is stick with a consistent theme and do NOT add too much selection on your menu.
For example I once saw a restaurant that tried to sell:
1) Chinese food
2) Hamburgers
3) Donuts
under the same roof --> TOTAL disaster.
I guess the owner thought he could get more customers by adding a greater selection of unrelated items, instead he scared people away. I didn't bother to even step inside. The thought of eating donuts with the smell of Chinese food in the air or eating Chinese food with the possibility of hamburger grease mixed in wasn't very appetizing. *runs away*
Call me weird but I think a restaurant / cafe with only 10 items can defeat another with 100 items on the menu. An extreme example - (In-n-out burgers vs. McDonald's). People keep on choosing In-n-out (http://www.in-n-out.com/menu.asp) even though the selection is ridiculously limited.
why?
Because In-n-out does fries and burgers better then anyone else. They've got the manual potato cutter gimmick which I never get tired of. How can any other burger joint claim to have fresher french fries when In-n-out is the only place that literally cuts the potatoes into fries right in front of you!
It's better to do 1 thing the BEST (that no one else can do) rather then try to do 100 things that anyone can also do.
I hope I wasn't getting off topic
and good luck!!! ^_^
Good point d00d, I guess its because some ppl wanna avoid pressure of having a choice of so many things, well I can't tell the differnce between certain foods.
Quote from: PeppstaR on August 31, 2007, 11:30:58 AM
I would love to have a 'Maid Cafe'. Maybe that can be one of the events but not done daily. A couple of reasons I can't have it daily would be finding staff that would want to dress as maids and there's a bar across the street. I wouldn't want the drunks coming in harassing the girls. I already have some pervs that come in when our female staff is on.
BUT, I would do it as an event. Like for one weekend. Maybe I can colaborate with Fanime's Maid Cafe and we can work together to raise funds to help out the Maid Cafe for '08. (That's if there's going to be one next year).
heh heh no lousy drunks are gonna ruin dat, I can volunteer as a guard, I know martial arts. Please! Yeah how about it? I need suspense in my life! I really do, I lead a boring life. I'm serious.............................
Anyways, I heard from some1 that they can just take a light rail, which one is it? I hope its the VTA. Wait are you guys open yet? or are you still getting things ready?
Oh about having it anime themed, don't put too much or too less. Put up at least some of the older anime shows like: Go Speed Racer, Astro Boy, Voltron to attract some of the "older" folks, I've known a few adults how loved those anime shows when they were kids and it might actually work! But put the posters all at once, do it from time to time like every 4-7 months. Try to add other themes to attract other type of people, try putting stuff to attract rockers, add a few things to attract those who like Rap and Hip Hop. Oh when you have a time in the Cafe that will show an anime playing, try something not too silly, not too perverted, not too violent, not too cheesey if theres any out there, no bad language.
Have a normal everyday Cafe menu with your average coffee, lattes, hot coco, bagels, donuts, and other sorts of drinks in a lil fridge. Just do something that'll make people like your Cafe better than Starbucks.
Hmm ... Whatever happened with this? I actually work in San Bruno now.
Quote from: alkaline on October 24, 2007, 06:11:10 PM
Hmm ... Whatever happened with this? I actually work in San Bruno now.
It's still in the works. The shop is called "Never Too Latte" on San Mateo Ave. I would've posted updates but I just found out that the forums are back up.
I'll update everyone on everything soon. I got some posters from the Asian Art Musuem from the Marvel of Manga: Tezuka exhibit. (AG Art Studios made the shirts for that event ;D)
Update:
Well, a lot more of the remodeling has been done. Our new counter has been completed minus the sneeze guard glass, but the crepe irons are all set. We also bought a panini press. So now we serve crepes and panini sandwiches ;D
What was pretty cool is how we're finding out that some our regular customers are into anime. As we put up more anime stuff, they started coming out of the woodwork. It was really surprising to see who was into anime. One guy gave us a couple Bleach figures to put next to our little Roronoa Zoro figure. These are just those little PVC figures you can get at the supermarkets but it's pretty cool to just have those randomly around. Once my brother has more time to complete some garage kits, we'll add them in with the Gamera that we have there now.
It's starting to get the theme in place. I think that since we are adding things in here and there it helps break in the locals to our anime theme. I think that it would be too much of a shocker to hit them with it all at once ;)
More updates later.
-Pepp