There is a strong influence from the émigré culture that once defined this part of North West London—a sense of café as living room, of places formed out of necessity but remembered for their warmth and ritual. That idea of Kaffee und Kuchen, of time spent rather than passed through, sits quietly at the centre of the design.
Spatially, the store is held together through a series of simple, connected moments. Joinery is integrated and architectural—shelving, basins and storage forming part of the structure rather than sitting against it. The layout allows for a gentle flow through the space, with areas for browsing and more considered interaction sitting alongside one another.
Photography by Darren Rowlands