NO.2
Reiko Crystal, Thomas Ryu (Owner of Cafe RoJean)
PROFILE
Born in Tokyo, Japan. Moved to the U.S. with his family. After graduating from college, worked for an interior design company in New York before returning to Japan. Currently works as a freelance interior designer and translator, and owns the cafe "Logine" with his younger brother.
Instagram:@reikocrystal
PROFILE
Born in Tokyo, Japan. Moved to the U.S. with his family, growing up in Kansas and Dallas, Texas until the age of 7, when he returned to Japan. After graduating from high school, she moved back to the U.S. and worked in the restaurant industry in New York for two years before returning to Japan. After graduating from fashion school and working in apparel and restaurants, she co-runs the cafe "Logine" with her sister.
Instagram:@tomas_ryu
The right amount of looseness and charm.
The key to a "rough" & peaceful daily life.
What is important to you in running the cafe "Logine" together?
Reiko: I originally wanted to share the world of my grandmother's house in Kansas with everyone, so I started a Kansas breakfast and brunch restaurant named after my grandmother's name "Rosine". Also, my siblings and I have been traveling back and forth between Japan and the U.S. since we were children, so we wanted to create a "home" for ourselves where we could always feel safe to return home. We wanted to create our own "home" where we could always feel safe and secure.
Thomas: We want to be a "place" that is important not only to ourselves but also to our neighbors, since people from all walks of life gather here. I want it to be a "place" that is important not only to us, but also to everyone. To achieve this, I think the first step is to keep ourselves happy. If we do that, I believe that both the store and the people around us will do well.
-The vases, mugs, and plates used in the store are warm and very nice.
Reiko: It was made by my great-uncle Ed, who lives in Colorado, and we are very attached to it because it has always been around us since we were children. When we started the restaurant, we wanted to use some of Ed's tableware, so we got some from his parents' house.
The "Rosine's Rosine Discount" discount service for those 65 and older and the lemonade stand sponsored by the children make it feel like a local cultural spot.
Reiko: The "Rosin Discount" service was started based on advice from Fujiko-chan, a florist who always bought flowers from the store, who said, "It would be nice if the store is accessible not only to young people but also to the elderly," and it has been well received. The service has been very well received. Events are held irregularly, such as on Independence Day, Easter, and the anniversary of the company's founding.
Thomas: My sister and I simply love to gather with people. Ikenoue is a warm town with many elderly people and families. It has an urban feel, but it still retains the tranquility of the old days, which I like very much.
-There is a relaxed atmosphere. What is your daily life cycle?
Thomas: Since "Logine" is open from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., we basically go to bed early and get up early. I don't set a specific time to get up, but start my day from the time I wake up naturally. I don't like to be woken up by an alarm clock.
Reiko: Thomas sometimes gets up at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. He is a very early riser. I feel better when I live a regular life.
Thomas: I like talking with people, but I also like the quietness of the early morning when there are no people around.
What kind of fashion do you like?
Reiko: I like T-shirts with cultural references, and today I wore a T-shirt with a monologue from the drama series movie White Lotus. It is a drama with black humor.
Thomas: I like "inexpensive fashion" and basically have a rough style. I like fashion, but I am always thinking about how to be fashionable in my own way without spending a lot of money.
-The clothes you are wearing today are also in good taste.
Thomas: A cardigan by Anachronome with a nice furball, a vintage Pink Floyd T, and sweatpants by Private Brand by S.F.S. S.F.S. sweatpants. In Brooklyn, I saw wealthy people wearing tattered T-shirts on a dare, and I thought it was cool. I also wear a pair of socks that I lost one of them before I knew it, and I combine them separately. I think it's surprisingly cute that both pairs of socks don't match.
Reiko: Like Thomas, I prefer worn-out and dirty clothes and shoes, and I wear leather shoes until they are worn out. The Carhartt pants are old clothes given to me by a staff member, and I like that the hems are frayed.
Thomas: It's nice to have something with a vintage feel that was handed down from one person to another.
Finally, how did you feel about the comfort of BENEXY shoes?
Reiko: I chose the "300 (Sanmarumaru)" relaxed fit, a shoe type similar to clogs. The wide width of the foot makes them comfortable and less constricting, and the chunky shape is cute and my favorite. I will wear these shoes until they get a good look.
Thomas: I take my shoes off and on a lot at work, so these "120 (Ichiniimaru)" will be very useful. The rubber cork insole is also great for reducing fatigue even after standing for long periods of time. I think the charm of "BENEXY" is that it can be tailored to the lifestyle of each individual who wears them.
