Renovations are set to begin in the middle of the holiday season at a small space on Lancaster’s Historic Town Square to make way for a Japanese-inspired coffee shop and cocktail bar.
Those plans come almost a year after Lancaster City Council members unanimously approved an economic development agreement with Kyoto Brew, allowing owner Estelle Hernandez to rehab the 765-square-foot building at 121 Historic Town Square and, in exchange, receive up to $75,000 in sales tax reimbursements over four years.
“I believe that we are embarking on a true game-changer,” District 2 Council Member Stanley Jaglowski said during a January meeting. “It’s been a long time coming in our downtown area … to promote and to support the vision that this community well deserves. So, I wanted to thank the citizens and I want to thank this body for this support and the understanding. A lot of effort and work has been put into this.”
Hernandez couldn’t be reached for comment about the renovations scheduled to begin in December. According to a state filing, the work is expected to be completed in May 2024.
“We’ll be dishing out your favorite coffee classics along with our artisanal cold brew and mixed drinks, paired with fresh breads and bites made from scratch,” according to Kyoto Brew’s website. “Our space is designed to reflect the cozy, intimate atmosphere of a traditional Japanese izakaya.”
Translated, the term “izakaya” means “stay-drink-place.”
For more than 1,000 years, Kyoto was Japan’s ancient capital, “known for [its] idyllic gardens, intricate architecture, traditional tea ceremony, and vibrant nightlife,” according to Kyoto Brew’s website.
Linked to Dutch traders in the 17th century, Kyoto cold brew is slow-drip coffee that was popularized in the Japanese city. The process involves dripping cold water slowly over coffee grounds for hours before chilling for another 24 hours. But it can also be served hot.
In Lancaster, the planned renovations at Kyoto Brew bear a construction cost of $200,000 for the “interior finish out.” The property will include an outdoor seating area.
District 3 Council Member Marco Mejia said during the January meeting that he welcomes Kyoto Brew “with open arms.”
“I’ve been here 12 and a half years,” he said. “To come from where we were from an anti-development community where nobody wanted to come and invest to the point (where) we are today” is commendable. “I’ve seen … development deals going from millions of dollars … to billions of dollars. Now we’re moving outside of the industrial area. We’re talking data centers. People are getting excited about the community.”
Coeval Studio of Dallas is listed as the design firm on the state filing.