As the song goes, "Everything Must Change." Nowhere is that clearer than in the world of the Japanese kissaten. Remember the half cups of coffee (no refills, thank you), high prices and limited choices? Nowadays we have filled-to-the-brim short, tall or grande, the cheap and the cheaper (Doutor and Pronto continue to duke it out) and endless varieties (or, in coffee lingo, "varietals").
But there's one more component that some contemporary kissaten owners might want to consider, if they truly want to be successful: bagels. That's right, those chewy, yummy ring-shaped rolls have brought satisfaction (and good fortune) to many. Just ask Ryuji Kawamura, 36, president of Little Tribeca and bagel aficionado.
Once an industrial district, Tribeca is now a trendy triangle of New York City, filled with shops, art galleries and restaurants. Kawamura, an energetic, bicoastal man who lived in the U.S. for 15 years, wanted to bring some of that stylish Tribeca atmosphere to Japan. More importantly, he felt it was time for Japan to become acquainted with "authentic" New York bagels.