Starbucks Japan Transforms Cafe Into A Public Co-Working Space

Coffee shops, and Starbucks in particular, are associated with relaxing and getting work done, depending on your mission for the day. To help facilitate that, Starbucks offers coffee, laptops bars, and a large number of power outlets, but it is taking things a step farther in Japan with the introduction of a full and proper co-working space...that exists within a Starbucks store.

According to Starbucks Japan, the new experimental shop is called its Smart Lounge, and it features a co-working space made in collaboration with Think Lab Co. The store is located in Ginza, Japan, and it officially opened to the public on July 30.

The store features multiple floors, the second of which is designed for people who need to get work done — whether you're studying for exams, working on a personal project, or trying to get work done while away from the office. Visitors can book the use of meeting spaces in the co-working space, plus there are booths for groups of people and solo working spaces that resemble slim, modern cubicles.

There is likewise space to have online meetings for those who are conducting video calls, making it friendly to modern technologies and needs. Of course, the co-working space is also home to a proper Starbucks coffee shop where visitors can get beverages and snacks, making it more appealing than a library.

The appeal of such a place is obvious — visitors get all of the benefits of a co-working space without the costs, direct access to coffee, and a variety of working environments for different solo and group needs. It's unclear whether Starbucks has plans to introduce additional hybrid co-working spaces in other markets, but given the remote working revolution our society has rapidly undergone, the plan would be welcome.

Additional images and details can be found on the Starbucks Japan website.