Not Just a Kiosk, but a 300 Square Foot Restaurant!

The Westfield Santa Anita Mall in Arcadia, California is one of Los Angeles County’s most popular shopping destinations! This large, full-service mall features a great mix of stores in both the upscale and moderate price ranges; a huge parking lot; a good selection of restaurants; and a modern, large theater featuring stadium-style seating. Westfield Santa Anita mall which has recently undergone a $20 million renovation, with outdoor “Promenade” district offers a garden retreat featuring a stylish open-air setting. Strategically located directly off the highly traveled 210 Freeway and approximately seven miles from Pasadena, Westfield Santa Anita is the premier shopping and entertainment destination for the San Gabriel Valley, including the affluent neighborhoods of Hastings Ranch, Arcadia and Sierra Madre.

Mikawaya 3D Concept Rendering

Mikawaya Finished

Ryans Virtual Design worked with Westfield developers on establishing a concept design for the Mall’s center court freestanding feature restaurants and dwell point architecture. The transformation included a multilevel open atrium with lush landscape and contemporary architectural features with planned live entertainment and local artisan exhibits.  The design demonstrates combining retail with social gathering. The restaurant selection was carefully chosen to include comfort food that compliments the local growing Asian demographics.

Mikawaya 3D Concept Rendering

Mikawaya Finished

Mikawaya Mochi was selected as the signature comfort food that reflects the flavor of the Malls new environment and culture. Mikawaya has been offering traditional Japanese confectioneries to the communities in Southern California since 1910. Under its family owned leadership, Mikawaya creator of Mochi ice cream has expanded its operations significantly. Now its signature product, “Mochi Ice Cream”, small orbs of ice cream with a coating of mocha, a sweet Japanese rice cake, is sold in many Japanese restaurants as well as supermarkets all over the world, enabling many different people to experience and appreciate the Japanese confectionery culture.

Mikawaya 3D Concept Rendering

Mikawaya Finished

Mikawaya 3D Concept

Mikawaya Finished

Ryans Virtual Design was selected and pleased to work with Mikawaya to develop a 300 square foot inviting dining experience. It was important to strike a balance of operational equipment and traditional Japanese architecture while maintaining the Malls center court design criteria. With the use of reclaimed woods, low maintenance surfaces, lush landscape and height restrictions, the proposed design went thru several variations requiring senior mall developers approval as well as Mikawaya’s approval. Mikawaya’s concern was that the contemporary design would not alienate the traditional all natural desert recipe. The approval process proved to be a unique challenge followed by a different palette of challenges with local health department and building department approvals.

Mikawaya 3D Concept Rendering

Mikawaya Finished

The final approved designs use of reclaimed woods offered a subtle hint of the past complimented with a splash of contemporary styling, illuminated graphics, layered solid surfaces and tiered retail presentations resulted in a successful form and function. The use of three dimensional imagery helped developers, tenants and local agencies visualize and approve the restaurant concept.

These are just a few photos of the renovation stages for you to enjoy.

Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.
217 West Alameda Avenue, #203
Burbank, CA 91502
818-303-8800

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concept to creation.

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A Diamond in the Rough

Diamond Supply Co. is a California-based skateboard clothing line started in 1998 by skater Nick Tershay, AKA Nick Diamond.

Ryans Virtual Design, Inc. assisted in the design of a dynamic all-in-one Diamond Supply Co. location. This location is based in the major Los Angeles area and includes a merchandise showroom, office with common waiting area, skate park and warehouse all in the same location.

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

Diamond Supply Co. features their clothing designs in the showroom at the Los Angeles location. The showroom and traffic of riders at their skate park are great tools in presenting their best merchandise to possible buyers.

On top of gaining the interest of skateboarding enthusiasts, the company’s clothing line has branched out into the music industry.

Diamond Supply Co. t-shirts were featured in Fat Boys music video and worn by other artists and entertainers such as; Kevin Durant, Wiz Khalifa, Jay-Z, Rihanna and Curren$y.

This year Diamond Supply Co. hosted events which presented their exclusive pop up shops and live performances by known artists such as; Trinidad James, Juelz Santana, Thurzday and other surprise guest artists.

Diamond Supply Co. has quickly become a popular clothing brand in the skateboarding and hip hop world.

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The “In Between” Affordability

In today’s challenging economy, many retail business owners are looking to re-evaluate costs in order to increase their profits. Retail kiosks (or Retail Merchandising Units) of different sizes and shapes have become popular among many business owners.

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

Take the Street Corner snack kiosk (pictured above) for example. This 150 square foot kiosk allows mall-goers to grab a quick snack while shopping. Street Corner is a retail business which decided to construct a kiosk within in a common mall area. Their kiosk helps with gaining customer foot traffic to their business and the location is perfect, especially for snacks!

These RMU’s have become the “in between.” The retail units allow vendors to save money, in that they provide a professional retail store feel without the costs and commitment of a storefront or large anchor store. On the other hand, they are not as temporary as small mall carts.Retail kiosks’ lower costs provide opportunities to owners of growing businesses to purchase multiple locations in large malls. In response to the economic recession, kiosk rent has also fallen. Typically kiosk monthly rent will start at $1,000 and exceeds $10,000 a month in the best mall locations. The RMU’s central mall location also maximizes customer traffic. Retailers who have focused on smaller, stand-alone units are growing.

Mall owners are also benefiting from the outburst of kiosk businesses. The building of retail merchant units in the “free space” of the mall generates additional revenue for mall owners. According to the Los Angeles Times, “It [kiosk ownership] is a $12-billion industry in the U.S.”

Notice in the photos below that Potato Corner decided to construct a 250 square foot kiosk as the operations of their food business within empty mall space. The after effect allows a profitable business to generate revenue literally out of thin air!

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

These economic moves mark a new direction for retail architecture. Ryans Virtual Design, Inc. has custom designed kiosks for various retailers located in major mall centers in Southern California.

Another Ryans Virtual Design, Inc. retail kiosk client is Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. This 200+ million dollar a year specialty retailer has branched out to multiple locations in the kiosk world.

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

Pictured above is an example of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf taking advantage of open space within an outdoor mall outlet. The 300 square foot spectialty drink kiosk is continually generating revenue for the company, franchise and mall owners. The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf company is the largest now than it has ever been and cotinues to grow.

The retail kiosk phenomenon is growing at a rapid pace with many businesses and setting a new path in the design and fabrication of retail architecture.

The newest of Ryans Virtual Design, Inc. kiosk work is Mikawaya; a Japanese specialty dessert kiosk for various mall-goers to enjoy!

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

Architectural Design by Ryans Virtual Design, Inc.

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