I’m a bit turned off by the concept of this “maid cafe” in Culver City, CA. Not saying that I support the authentic maid cafes of Tokyo either, but after reading the article about Royal/T, it actually annoys me to understand that the owner had never stepped foot into a maid cafe in Japan, and that the cafe is decked out in the stereotypical/American view of what “Japan” is. It sounds like a place of real fusion, with tea, curry bowls, and other things included in the place. A real mish-mash, it seems.
The place has only been opened for a month now, so I wonder how well the business is doing. I personally think that if Ms. Susan Hancock (the owner) had wanted the place to be a “Japanese-style” maid cafe, she should have stuck with more Japanese pop culture items rather than make it into some weird fusion.
3 replies on “Maid Cafe in America?”
Hmm, personally i have no complaints about the maid cafe’s in Japan. One of UK H!P fans i know visited one when he was in Japan back in January and apparently it’s a really nice atmosphere and enjoyable experience.
Also, looking at the photo in that article, it’s just doesn’t jump out as “Cute” to me. Maybe that’s just me, but it just looks like normal waitresses in a funny costume… just doesn’t seem… right.
Compared to the @home cafe, (i think it’s the most successful in Japan), it just doesn’t seem to have the right feel to it.
I don’t really have much issue with maid cafes in Tokyo either (I mean, I wouldn’t really go to them again, but they’re part of the pop culture there you know?) But I feel like this maid cafe in Culver City is just…not cool. IMO, the owner should have done more research/actually gone to a real maid cafe before making the concept for her place. It’s a bad business move if you ask me.
I can see where you’re coming from – and yeah it seems to me that it’s a strange separation of cultures by the look rather than this all encompassing style that the japanese maid cafes in japan have. It looks rather like a gallery with a few tables and chairs, nothing cutesie or unique about it. But that’s just my opinion.