Square Enix Cafes Set to Open in Los Angeles and Shinjuku
Square Enix has announced plans to open officially licensed themed cafes in both Los Angeles and Shinjuku, Japan, with both locations set to debut this spring. The Los Angeles cafe will be located at 316 E. 1st St. in Little Tokyo’s historic district and will be operated by J-Pop Culture Cafe Inc. in a space previously occupied by Mitsuru Sushi & Grill.
Both cafe locations will feature menus inspired by Square Enix’s portfolio of video game intellectual properties, offering themed food and beverages to fans. Accompanying the cafes will be retail spaces stocked with official Square Enix merchandise, with the company noting that each location may carry unique items. However, specific details about which game franchises will inspire the menu offerings or what exclusive merchandise will be available at each location have not yet been disclosed.
This marks Square Enix’s expansion into the themed cafe and experiential retail space, capitalizing on the growing trend of game publisher-backed dining venues. The dual opening on opposite coasts positions the cafes to serve both domestic Japanese audiences and the significant gaming communities in Southern California.