Start A Sushi Bar In A Small Shop Corner

When you finally find a location for your sushi business, the store is not big, with an area of less than 50 square meters, but you not only need to layout the sushi bar in the store, but also have a seating area. You are very worried that there is not enough space, or you don’t know how to start. You can take a look at our corner sushi retail bar, which is enough for a small store.

Space layout planning - efficient use of every inch of the corner

(I) Core area division logic

With "operation-experience-circulation" as the moving line, the corner space is divided into (Counter Bar) + enclosed seating area; two modules to ensure that production, serving and dining do not interfere with each other, and adapt to the needs of efficient operation in a small space.

(II) Specific layout steps

Determine the location of the bar: choose the side of the corner against the wall, preferably facing the entrance or the main traffic channel in the store, which is convenient for customers to order and watch sushi making (enhanced interactive experience), and also makes it convenient for chefs to serve food. The length is designed as needed, and 1.8-2.5 meters is recommended (to accommodate 1-2 chefs), and the depth is 0.7-0.9m to reserve operation space + display area.

Planning the seating area: opposite/side the bar, enclosed by curved booths + small round tables (or long benches against the wall + narrow tables). The curved booths fit the corners, saving space and creating a sense of privacy; the tables and chairs are selected in "small and clever" sizes (such as round tables with a diameter of 0.6-1 meters and chairs with a width of 0.4-0.5 meters), ensuring that the passage width is ≥0.8 meters to meet the needs of 2-4 groups of customers dining at the same time.

Decoration and material selection - adapting to the needs of sushi restaurants

(I) Overall style principle

Take the "natural simplicity + Japanese light industrial style" to echo the "fresh and simple" attributes of sushi, and use logs, stone, and matte metal to create a clean and textured dining atmosphere, while facilitating cleaning and maintenance.

(II) Material selection for key areas

• Floor: Choose light-colored laminate flooring (imitation wood texture) or antique tiles (matte surface, non-slip). The former feels warm underfoot, while the latter is water-resistant and stain-resistant, easy to wipe when encountering sushi vinegar and water stains, and the small space has a sense of extension.
• Wall: Use blackboard paint (dark gray) for the background wall behind the bar, and you can handwrite the day's sushi specials and interesting slogans (such as "Let The Good Times Roll") to increase interaction; the rest of the walls are painted with white/light gray matte latex paint to make the space look open, and match sushi illustrations (such as sashimi and sushi roll patterns) to strengthen the theme.
• Ceiling: Keep the original ceiling structure, partially embed downlights + linear track lights (focus on the bar and dining area), or hang simple chandeliers (white spherical lights above the bar, black/wooden small chandeliers in the seating area), weaken the pressure of the floor height, and focus on the dining area.

Sushi bar design - function and experience are prioritized

(I) Core logic of design

Designed around "display, operability, and hygiene", customers can intuitively feel the freshness of sushi while facilitating chefs to efficiently prepare and serve food, which is in line with the consumption scenario of "making and eating sushi now".

(II) Key points of design

• Operation table: choose quartz or stainless steel. Quartz is scratch-resistant, acid-resistant and alkali-resistant (to deal with sushi vinegar and knife scratches), and has a warm texture; stainless steel is easy to clean and professional. Both can be made into 20-30 mm thick tabletops with chamfered edges (to avoid bumps).
• Display: The front edge of the bar is embedded with an open refrigerator, and the glass is anti-fog tempered glass (to avoid hot air sticking to the window and affecting the display). LED cold light (blue light/white light, highlighting the color of sashimi) is installed inside, and fresh sashimi and sushi products are displayed in layers, allowing customers to select products and enhance trust intuitively.

Directly display the sushi you make so that customers can see the real thing intuitively and feel more at ease eating it.