Reimagining empty restaurants

Ever peered inside a closed restaurant during the day, thinking it looked a bit lonely?

Rather than let those stylish restaurants sit empty all morning, one enterprising coffee-shop-owner-to-be saw an opportunity to put that lonely space to use.  

Founded by Kate Kaneko, Asano is an unconventional coffee shop that operates within New York City restaurants only open in the evening, per Edible Brooklyn. 

The unusual partnership looks to be a win-win and part of a trend of restaurants getting creative amid rising costs.

"The a.m. cafe to your p.m. restaurant"

Asano's first location opened last June in Sandro's, a popular Italian restaurant, operating Monday through Saturday mornings. The evolving menu features espresso and matcha drinks, Asian-inspired pastries, and residencies with other food businesses.

• Instead of paying rent, Kaneko established a revenue-sharing agreement. 
• The symbiotic arrangement enables Asano to operate in a neighborhood where rent might be prohibitive, while offering Sandro's additional revenue. 
• Asano also saves on overhead and investments like an espresso machine.
• Each offers a loyalty cards to cross-pollinate customers — coffee in exchange for an espresso martini and vice versa.
• Customers get to enjoy an upscale venue to sip matcha and catch up with friends or emails — and might just stick around for dinner.

Kaneko has since opened another Asano at The Noortwyck, and plans to expand to additional restaurants.

Finding restaurants that fit the concept with amenable owners was a lengthy process. Kaneko, who has a hospitality background and a Harvard Business School degree, details the process on her Substack.

Third spaces

As rising costs squeeze restaurants and more Americans find eating out no longer "worth the money," businesses are thinking creatively to stay above water:

• Boston's Shy Bird offers coworking space with a limited menu and office supplies.
• A NYC bar rents space to publishers during the day.
• A plant-based ice cream parlor takes over a bagel shop in Tacoma on weekend evenings.
• All day cafes offer alternative daytime concepts to attract different customers. 

The trend of a "multifunctional restaurant space" could offer aspiring business owners with valuable space, and restaurants with additional revenue.

And maybe I'll finally stop peering into empty restaurants like a creep.