Inside 12, NYC's New Matcha Café Where Tradition Comes Before Trend
Culture isn't something that can be staged. It must be felt, expressed through rituals, materials, colors or sounds evoking decades, if not centuries, of traditions and practices. That's what the essence of 12 Matcha, New York's latest matcha café, is all about. Unlike most coffee shops, it is not framing matcha as an alternative to coffee, but inviting guests to step into the world of matcha culture. 12 is democratizing matcha rituals, offering a modern take on a tradition rooted in Japanese culture. And in doing so, it is showing that being guided by values, rather than trends, will always resonate more deeply with consumers.
Culture First, Then Product
According to Min Lew, Partner at Base Design, and the lead behind 12's identity and space: 'Craft matcha is still just beginning in the U.S. Today, it's more of a commodity play, with two polar opposites of how consumers are being offered matcha: in everyday coffee shops, or in niche, traditional Japanese tea rooms.' The aim of 12 was to bridge this gap, seeking to make premium matcha culture accessible while remaining loyal to its roots. And in learning how the concept came to life, it is clear this mindfulness in regards to matcha culture was present from inception.
'When thinking about the capital brand, we wanted to make sure to honor the philosophy around tea culture and matcha rituals, while bringing something very modern along,' Lew tells us. A team was brought to Uji, a city south of Kyoto where the most premium matcha is cultivated, to learn from and capture the essence of Japanese tea culture from one of the country's top tea masters. This commitment to respecting the philosophy of matcha culture became the guiding thread for the entire project and manifested throughout — from logo design to location scouting and spatial aesthetics.
The 12 brand name has various references: alpha brain waves 12Hz, which promote mental clarity and ... More relaxation of the mind as well as the 12 universal symbols.
The result: a modern take on ancient rituals, transforming a mainstream trend into a timeless cultural experience. This is probably what makes a lasting modern brand: not by forcing a brand into cultural relevance in ways that don't feel authentic, but rather by placing culture as a key component of brand identity, narrative construction and activations. Luxury brands often are best equipped to make culture an active, moving piece of their strategy because a majority of them have lived through history and are built upon craftsmanship and traditions. But come to think of it, every product carries a history, tea included. Elevating it from a commodity to a meaningful ritual is not groundbreaking, it is simply an indication that a brand exists to embody and share a tradition rather than surf on a trend. Success then becomes a by-product, one that 12 didn't see coming. 'We had in mind to open and slowly perfect the process and experience, but TikTok brought a huge crowd from day one', says Lew who admits that everyone was surprised and did not expect the lines of people waiting sometimes 30 minutes to experience not just a quality matcha, but the ritual around it.
Space As A Stage For Emotions
Lew explains the philosophy behind 12's retail design: 'Instead of building the store around efficiency and churn, we thought about ways to honor the tea ceremony, which is designed to be a dialog between a host who serves and the drinker.' This translated into a long counter where people can observe the process of matcha being made: from weighing the powder to whisking it with charcoal-filtered water displayed right in front of them, consumers become front row spectators. Overall, the space is minimal, premium and spacious thanks to generous volumes and high ceilings, naturally conveying the serenity of matcha ceremony.
The 12 Store, comprised of a bar, ground floor and lower level tasting room for intimate tea ... More ceremonies
Located on Bond Street, a quiet street in the heart of SoHo, 12 was designed to uplift visitors, where matcha is an indulgent self-care ritual rather than a mere other item on the menu. Bathed in sunlight, the space aims to bring in vitality and good energy to anyone coming in, thanks to a blend of multi-sensory elements that allow consumers to truly be present. As confirmed by Lew, '12 was curated as a space to allow natural experiences to unfold,' rather than programmed experiences like we see with many pop-ups and brand activations at the moment. This mindset helps build emotional engagement and create memorable experiences, showing that retail, when designed with intention, can truly become a stage for moving culture and emotions.
In a crowded market filled with trend-led novelty, what sets a brand apart isn't just a great product anymore. What makes 12 stand out is its intention to offer matcha in the form of a shared ritual—through storytelling, design, and culture. Visitors come for the drink, but leave with the experience of calm and connection. Min Lew probably summarized it best: 'Trends shift, but values stay. Substance should be prioritized over novelty.' And maybe that's the true key to lasting brand relevance.
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