World-Renowned Japanese Coffee Brand % Arabica Opens First Downtown Toronto Location
% Arabica opens second Canadian storefront in brand new lower level of Union Station, the country's busiest transportation hub
TORONTO, July 25, 2023 /CNW/ - World-renowned Japanese coffee brand, % Arabica is opening the doors of its first downtown Toronto location on Wednesday, July 26, in the city's bustling Union Station. This will be the second Canadian location for % Arabica, following the opening of Yorkdale Shopping Centre in December 2022. Founded by Kenneth Shoji, % Arabica is an independent coffee brand from Kyoto, Japan with 155 stores globally. The opening of % Arabica at Union Station, Canada's busiest multi-modal passenger transportation hub, will be located in the newly renovated area as a highly sought-after addition. % Arabica will elevate Torontonians travel by providing them with a premium coffee experience, through high-quality coffee and an ambiance that will encourage you to take a moment to enjoy your cup that is made from the world's finest beans.
"After a successful first launch into the Canadian market last year at Yorkdale Shopping Centre, we are thrilled to bring our first Downtown Toronto location to the core of the city at Union Station '' says % Arabica partner. "We are proud to provide an enhanced coffee experience whether living in, arriving, or leaving the city, starting with the beautiful design of this location. When you step foot into the thoughtfully designed % Arabica, you'll feel your coffee experience has been up-leveled with a space that allows you to enjoy the moment with the world's best coffee."
Designed in collaboration with Tacklebox Architecture under the leadership of Jeremy Barbour, the design is inspired by the geological and glacial formation of the surrounding landscape. Drawing inspiration from the layered beauty of glacial ice, folded rock, and the strata of the underlying bedrock, this space is defined by a floor-to-ceiling, faceted wall terrain. This monolithic surface is comprised of 172 faceted blocks that have been meticulously carved from 3,452 layers of stacked gypsum wall board– a ubiquitous building material commonly sourced in the region but used here in a unique and extraordinary way.
This crisp, white geometric surface is punctuated at intervals by 24 powder-coated steel niches that house bulk coffee bags and merchandise on display. A continuous white corian surface folds and carves space to form front and back service counters where visitors gather to receive % Arabica’s finest coffees sourced from around the globe.
% Arabica is more than coffee, it is a lifestyle experience focusing on design and simple pleasures, on a mission to invite people of all nationalities and throughout every country to 'See the World Through Coffee'. The brand's commitment to quality and love for coffee and design shines through its unique architecture and the one-of-a-kind coffee experience offered at each location.
On Wednesday, July 26, % Arabica officially opens its doors at Union Station, offering the first 50 customers an exclusive pastry item and the first 150 customers a limited edition cup designed by a local Canadian artist with purchase. The art will pay homage to Toronto's renowned landscape that Union Station is located in the heart of. For more information, store hours, and more, please visit http://arabica.coffee.
% Arabica was founded by Kenneth Shoji in 2013, and opened its global flagship store in Kyoto, Japan in 2014, and has since gained a devoted following thanks to its exceptional coffee and simple, timeless store design. Famous for its iconic locations worldwide, % Arabica rapidly expanded globally with locations in 18 countries in North America, Asia, Europe and Middle East and over 130 stores.
Shoji was inspired to start % Arabica after realizing he wanted an amazing cup of coffee every day—with equally amazing customer experience. To learn the coffee business, he purchased a coffee farm in Hawaii, started a green bean trading company, exported Japanese coffee roasting machines and then became a distributor for Slayer. With this experience under his belt, he launched % Arabica, led by his vision to grow the brand across the world - which is reflected in the % Arabica motto, "See the World Through Coffee."
Specializing in premium varieties of coffee, % Arabica is renowned for serving the world's finest coffee beans, and making perfect, yet simple, barista brews. % Arabica sources largely from small farms, serving their unique blend, as well as single-origin beans from around the world with a carefully curated menu that spans espresso-based coffees, specialty lattes, drip coffees, matcha, and much more specialty offerings.
Jeremy Barbour is the founding principal of TACKLEBOX ARCHITECTURE an innovative architecture firm based in New York City with a portfolio that includes retail interiors, commercial office design, single and multi-family residential projects and furniture design. With notable projects for brands such as Aesop, Claus Porto, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Kenneth Cole, and Shinsegae, the work of TACKLEBOX ARCHITECTURE has received multiple awards and has been featured in over 100 publications. In 2010, TACKLEBOX ARCHITECTURE was among 7 firms selected as a recipient of AIANY's New Practices New York Award, a biennial competition that recognizes the best new architecture firms in NYC and In 2018 Tacklebox was named in the Architect's Newspaper's Top 50 Interior Architecture firms.
SOURCE % Arabica
Alanna Fallis, Pomp & Circumstance PR, [email protected]
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