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vol.9 A restaurant that functions as a collaborative community base in the life science field that is advancing in Nihonbashi in addition to business co-creation through food [Mitsui Fudosan ✕ LINK-J]

&mog by Mitsui Fudosan is a one-stop platform that supports food business development, from concept design to urban implementation. The keyword for this project, which started in Nihonbashi this spring, is “Future food grown in the city.” Mitsui Fudosan is working with partner companies related to food to carry out a variety of activities to create new innovations.
“&mog Kingdom” introduces monthly project events and the latest news. We will report on the new food trends starting in Nihonbashi!

Ryo Hirano (right) of Fireplace Co., Ltd., which operates the store, and Shinichiro Ito (left), the community manager.

As the life science field is attracting worldwide attention, Mitsui Fudosan aims to create a food industry through “&mog by Mitsui Fudosan”, and in the same way, we are promoting the creation of industry in the life science field and creating innovation. Contributing to

As part of this effort, we launched “LINK-J” in 2016. This is a general incorporated association that was established with the involvement of academia and industry as a platform for people and information exchange for people engaged in the life science field. The aim is to “promote open innovation” and “build an ecosystem” in the life science field.

Nihonbashi has long been a city where many pharmaceutical companies have gathered. For this reason, Mitsui Fudosan is developing the Nihonbashi Life Science Building, which will accommodate a variety of life science-related players, and has prepared approximately 15 various spaces such as conference rooms and offices that will serve as bases for interaction. “Dining & Bar Genomic Giraffe” opened in 2024 on the first floor of “Nihonbashi Life Science Building 8,” which is one of them. As a cafe during the day and a bar at night, it provides a place for a wide range of communication involving local people, while also working in conjunction with LINK-J to function as a communication lounge for the life science field.

“Dining & Bar Genomic Giraffe” is operated by Fireplace, a company that promotes co-creation with the role of expanding “horizontal human relationships” starting with “places”.

“Dining & Bar Genomic Giraffe” is run by staff who think about ways to connect people with the community, and hosts a variety of events.

“Our company is a company that develops its business with the keyword ‘connection’ in mind. If we divide our work into two main parts, the first one is co-creation promotion business. For example, we work in shared offices, large commercial facilities, etc. We support the creation of systems and community management where people connect by chance and co-creation is fostered.We do similar work not only in urban areas but also locally. One is this “Dining & Bar Genomic” Giraffe, we work on actual food and beverage businesses and foster horizontal connections between people through our daily work.”

That’s what Ryo Hirano, a consultant for Fireplace, says.

“Our business started with the creation of a barbecue area on the rooftop of an apartment building in Kawasaki.We not only provide food and drink there, but also create connections between students and working adults, and collaborate with local producers. We were conducting activities to connect cities and cities.Therefore, people with “places”, including major developers like Mitsui Fudosan, asked us to create such connections in the places they own. I started hearing from you.”

The U-shaped counter was designed to allow customers to enter inside so that people can meet face to face and have conversations.

The predecessor of “Dining & Bar Genomic Giraffe” was a private Teppanyaki and bar restaurant called “Nihonbashi CONNECT” in Ningyocho, Nihonbashi. Taking advantage of the business style of “grilling and enjoying ingredients freely,” which creates communication, the bar holds irregular events, and has a unique bar that changes daily, functioning as a place to connect various human relationships. Unfortunately, the building had become dilapidated and had to be closed, but at that time, Mitsui Fudosan approached us and asked us to open a restaurant in its current location, and this is how Dining & Bar Genomic Giraffe began. is.

“Nihonbashi is also a place where the god of medicine is enshrined, and since the Edo period it has prospered as a center for drug trading, with drug wholesalers gathering there.Many pharmaceutical companies are still concentrated there, and Mitsui Fudosan is Thanks in part to the newly launched platform “LINK-J,” online events are held every day and we are very active. There is no place to actually connect offline, which is a problem, so we decided that it would be great if we could create offline connections in this building where life science companies gather. About once a month, we actually have a gathering here where we can talk face-to-face.”says Hirano.

Inside the store, you can enjoy hamburgers and bagel sandwiches that go well with craft beer and wine.

During regular business hours, “Dining & Bar Genomic Giraffe” offers bagel sandwiches and coffee for lunch, and a wide variety of alcoholic beverages including craft beer and wine at night. We can also easily accommodate various events and private parties. The menu will be full of originality, but in addition to that, “In fact, for a limited time, we are planning to offer a menu that uses plant-based cream made by a partner company of &mog by Mitsui Fudosan, which is not yet available on the market.” Since it’s a product, it’s also an attempt at test marketing.”

“I think having a place to gather creates many possibilities,” says Ito.
“New encounters are a great opportunity to start new things.” says Hirano.

Manager Shinichiro Ito, who actually came up with the menu, said, “It was my first experience, so I had a hard time. However, I was able to meet the developers directly at prototype meetings and listen to their stories. “It was very rewarding. When I introduce the menu to customers, I can talk about the background, so I think it’s easier to recommend it.” We are looking forward to the arrival of this new menu, as it is scheduled to be available from early January. We are looking forward to the content as we wait for it to be announced.

In addition, when it comes to store development, they have added some innovation to the store space.

“The inside of the store is designed to encourage customers to move around as much as possible.For example, we purposely built the beer and wine cellar against the wall, so customers can walk to pick up their beer, although it takes a little time. “We hope that by doing so, we will be able to connect with other people,” says Ito. Furthermore, there are nearly 30 staff members called “connectors” who have a variety of main jobs. By standing in the store from time to time, they create opportunities for unexpected encounters, such as people from different industries interacting with each other, and people who come to the store through connectors connecting with local people.

A “knot bottle” with a message attached. Those who drink the drink tie a message to the bottle and promise to reply to the bottle owner.

One of the tricks they continue to use is the “knot bottle,” an idea created by the store manager, Mr. Ito. When keeping a bottle of whiskey, etc., the person who put the bottle in it leaves a message on the bottle saying, “I want to connect with people who love mountain climbing.” Customers who read the message and sympathize with it will be able to drink a bottle of alcohol, and in return they will leave a thank you reply or comment on Tegami. People who put the bottle in the bottle will be able to read the mane when they return to the store, and this will naturally create connections between complete strangers.

“We don’t just have content, but we also place great importance on the kind of people who will gather there,” says Hirano. The people who come to the store come from a variety of backgrounds, including those who live nearby and those who work nearby, but they are people connected by the keyword Nihonbashi. He wants to create encounters that will expand human relationships and create something new.

In addition, events that connect with the local community are actively planned. For example, for Halloween, they once planned an event where people dressed up in costumes and went to local restaurants. We are planning to hold a mochi pounding event with a local shopping street in January next year.

“I feel that Mitsui Fudosan values ​​not only so-called online connections, but also face-to-face connections.We also value creating such places and creating connections. That’s something I can really relate to with Mitsui Fudosan,” says Hirano.

Both parties say that their goals are the same, and that they want to continue to foster connections in the city of Nihonbashi that will last into the future. “Dining & Bar Genomic Giraffe” will likely become a place where they can play an active role.

■Store data
Life Science Building 8 1F, 1-3-15 Nihonbashi Horidome-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
TEL 03-5962-3443
10:00-23:00 (~17:00 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays)
https://genomicgiraffe.com/

■Credit
text:Jun Okamoto
photo:Yoshiko Yoda

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