Shiru Cafe
Not your typical cafe.
In 2013, founder and CEO, Yusuke Kakimoto developed a unique business model never seen before; challenging the very idea of a typical café experience. The vision for Shiru Cafe sought to create, “a place where students can learn about the professional world and envision their future careers.” The model granted access for university students to utilize the cafe as a “third campus;” an independent extension to their university. By signing up to become a member, students can enjoy a variety of free gourmet coffees, teas, hot chocolate, and espressos as well as locally sourced gourmet pastries at any time, and for as long as they wished. How is that possible you ask? Shiru Cafe is fully sponsored by industry leading companies that advertise their businesses within the cafes. Between commercials, branded cups and literature, these companies have the ability to recruit top university students and prepare them for their careers right in the cafes! If a student wants to learn more about career opportunities, the baristas themselves are trained to connect students with the right tools and resources needed to succeed.
The U.S. expansion.
With over 18 locations in Japan and 7 locations in India, Shiru Cafe has grown from a small start-up concept to an industry leading business in short seven years. With the company’s great success overseas, Shiru Cafe came to the US in 2017 to expand its business model and bring the same career opportunities to America’s top university students. Shiru Cafe sought out Upland Architects as their United States house architect, designer, and project manager for their aggressive rollout. Within 3 years, Upland Architects worked with Shiru Cafe to open locations neighboring Brown University, Yale University, and Amherst College.
The challenge.
Although Shiru Cafe was already established overseas, they were venturing into a new United States market and needed to build new partnerships with U.S. consultants and vendors. Upland Architects played a key role in helping Shiru Cafe cultivate these relationships, securing national accounts with vendors like TriMark, Needham Electric, and National Signs. Additionally, Upland worked closely with Shiru Cafe's owners to ensure they felt confident and well-informed throughout what was a new and unfamiliar development process.
The design.
Our design team worked closely with Shiru Cafe to create a brand identity that resonated with the "American student." The focus was on crafting a unique, casual, and comfortable space for the cafe. Unlike typical large cafe brands that prioritize quick guest experiences, leaving little room for extended study sessions, the Shiru Cafe experience was designed to encourage students to feel at ease whether staying for five minutes or five hours. To achieve this, we worked with Shiru Cafe to plan distinct "zones" catering to different work styles—ranging from community tables and hidden collaboration spaces to private meeting rooms and quick bar seating. Each space was equipped with power outlets and USB charging stations to support the latest technologies. While the brand identity was crucial, the overall aesthetic of each cafe was driven by the values of community, local context, and the surrounding architecture. Whether situated in a historic brownstone or a modern industrial space, each cafe seamlessly integrated into its unique neighborhood and college community.
Procurement + staging.
In addition to construction drawings and project management, Upland Architects also provided procurement and staging services for Shiru Cafe. Our designers carefully curated unique, custom furnishings and décor for each cafe, leveraging our broad vendor network to secure affordable bulk pricing. The procurement team handled the sourcing and storage of all items in our warehouse during the construction phase, ensuring each cafe was fully staged upon completion. From wall art and menus to lounge furniture, accent tables, millwork, task lighting, and decorative elements, the Upland Procurement Team meticulously coordinated every detail to bring the cafes to life.
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