AT THE MiNiMONO PROJECT, WE STRIVE TO MAINTAIN HONEST, MEANINGFUL, AND CARING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EVERYONE WE WORK WITH. WE CONSIDER THEM PART OF OUR EXTENDED FAMILY.

OUR JOURNAL FOCUSES ON EXPLORING THE UNIQUE UNIVERSES OF VARIOUS MiNiMONO FAMILIES AROUND THE GLOBE, INCLUDING CHOSEN FAMILIES SUCH AS FRIENDS, PARTNERS, AND COLLABORATORS.

1- MIRA CAFÉ STUDIO HAS SUCH A DISTINCTIVE PERSONALITY. IT’S NOT JUST A CAFÉ. CAN YOU TELL US HOW THE IDEA FOR MIRA WAS BORN AND WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE YOU HOPED TO CREATE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY?

I ORIGINALLY COME FROM THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND STILL WORK AS A STYLIST TODAY. OPENING A CAFÉ WAS NEVER PART OF THE PLAN , I WAS ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR AN ATELIER OR STUDIO, A CREATIVE SPACE FOR MYSELF. A GOOD FRIEND POINTED ME TO THIS PLACE, AND I THOUGHT: WHY NOT? A MIX OF A STUDIO AND A CAFÉ COULD BE REALLY EXCITING.

SO, I WALKED INTO THE SPACE, TAPPED THE COFFEE MACHINE THREE TIMES, SWITCHED THE FRIDGE ON AND OFF, LOOKED AROUND AND SAID TO THE OWNER: “LOOKS GOOD, THE MACHINES WORK – I’LL TAKE IT!” THE TRUTH IS, I HAD ZERO EXPERIENCE IN GASTRONOMY. FROM ONE DAY TO THE NEXT, I BECAME A CAFÉ OWNER – WITHOUT A PLAN B. WHEN THE OWNER ASKED ABOUT MY CONCEPT, I SIMPLY SAID I’D KEEP THE EXISTING ONE – IT USED TO BE A BAGEL SHOP WITH COFFEE. I KNEW HE WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND MY REAL VISION. BUT IN MY MIND, IT WAS CLEAR: I DIDN’T WANT TO SELL BAGELS – I WANTED TO CREATE A VIBE.

MIRA WAS BORN OUT OF PURE PASSION. THERE’S REAL LOVE BEHIND EVERY PRODUCT – AND YOU CAN FEEL IT. I REGULARLY CHANGE THE INTERIOR – USUALLY ONCE A MONTH – BECAUSE I CAN’T STAND LOOKING AT THE SAME THING FOR TOO LONG. THIS CONSTANT CHANGE KEEPS MIRA ALIVE – AND OUR GUESTS LOVE THAT.

MIRA IS MORE THAN JUST A CAFÉ. IT’S A CREATIVE SPACE, A STAGE FOR IDEAS, A LIVING ROOM FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE ATMOSPHERE THRIVES ON THE MIX: VINYL, PRINT MAGAZINES, MIRA MERCH – AND LITTLE DETAILS THAT INVITE DISCOVERY.

2- YOUR SPACE BEAUTIFULLY BLENDS AESTHETICS, CALM, AND CREATIVITY. WHAT INSPIRED THE DESIGN AND OVERALL CONCEPT OF THE CAFÉ? HOW DO THESE ELEMENTS REFLECT YOUR VALUES OR VISION?

THE DESIGN OF MIRA IS A REFLECTION OF MY PERSONALITY AND MY CREATIVE ROOTS. I’M INSPIRED BY SPACES WHERE YOU CAN INSTANTLY FEEL THEY WERE CREATED WITH HEART, INTUITION, AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL – THAT’S EXACTLY THE FEELING I WANTED TO BRING TO MIRA. YOU CAN EVEN SENSE THIS IN THE BEAUTIFUL IMAGERY CAPTURED BY MICHAEL PHILLIPP BADER, WHOSE ANALOG PHOTOGRAPHY PERFECTLY REFLECTS MIRA’S AUTHENTIC AND EVER-CHANGING SPIRIT. WE PLACE GREAT IMPORTANCE ON MINDFULNESS AND RESPECT FOR OUR PRODUCTS – EVERY DRINK, EVERY PIECE OF FURNITURE, EVERY DETAIL HAS MEANING. THE COMBINATION OF WARM MATERIALS AND CONSTANTLY CHANGING ELEMENTS REFLECTS MY BELIEF THAT A SPACE SHOULD STAY ALIVE, EVOLVE, AND STAY IN DIALOGUE WITH ITS SURROUNDINGS.

THAT’S WHY I REGULARLY CHANGE THE INTERIOR – MIRA IS ALWAYS IN MOTION, JUST LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO FILL THIS PLACE WITH LIFE.

3- HOW DO YOU INTERPRET SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MIRA CAFE STUDIO, AND HOW DOES IT SHOW UP IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS?

FOR US AT MIRA, SUSTAINABILITY IS NOT JUST ABOUT BEING ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS – IT’S ALSO ABOUT TREATING RESOURCES, PEOPLE, AND IDEAS WITH RESPECT. IT’S ABOUT MAKING INTENTIONAL CHOICES, BOTH BIG AND SMALL. IN OUR DAILY OPERATIONS, THIS SHOWS IN THE WAY WE SELECT OUR PRODUCTS: WE COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL PARTNERS WHENEVER POSSIBLE AND FOCUS ON QUALITY AND DURABLE MATERIALS THAT STAND THE TEST OF TIME.

BUT SUSTAINABILITY FOR US GOES BEYOND PRODUCTS – IT’S ABOUT CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT INSPIRES IN THE LONG TERM: THROUGH GENUINE ENCOUNTERS, CREATIVE ENERGY, AND AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE PEOPLE FEEL AT EASE. WE BELIEVE THAT A PLACE RUN WITH CARE AND APPRECIATION IS, BY NATURE, SUSTAINABLE – BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL WANT TO RETURN AND FEEL TRULY CONNECTED TO IT.

4- WE’RE SO EXCITED ABOUT OUR COLLABORATION BETWEEN MIRA CAFÉ STUDIO AND THE MiNiMONO PROJECT. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO PARTNER WITH US, AND HOW DO YOU SEE OUR MISSIONS ALIGNING?

THE COLLABORATION WITH THE MiNiMONO PROJECT JUST FELT RIGHT FROM THE VERY FIRST MOMENT – WE IMMEDIATELY REALIZED THAT WE’RE ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH. FOR BOTH OF US, IT’S NOT ABOUT TRENDS OR QUANTITY, BUT ABOUT QUALITY, GENUINE PASSION, AND CONSCIOUS, SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

THAT TRULY CONNECTS WITH PEOPLE. WHAT REALLY BRINGS US TOGETHER IS THIS LOVE FOR DETAIL AND THE DESIRE TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT LASTS – SOMETHING MEANINGFUL. THAT’S WHY THIS DOESN’T FEEL LIKE A TYPICAL COLLABORATION; IT FEELS MORE LIKE A PROJECT BETWEEN FRIENDS WHO SHARE THE SAME VISION. MINIMAL, HONEST, AND FULL OF HEART. WE CAN’T WAIT TO SHARE THIS ENERGY WITH YOU AND BRING NEW IDEAS TO LIFE TOGETHER.

5- LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM THEIR VISIT TO MIRA? WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DO YOU HOPE MIRA CONTINUES TO HAVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

FOR ME, THERE’S NO BETTER COMPLIMENT THAN WHEN SOMEONE LEAVES MIRA AND SAYS: “THAT WAS TRULY SOMETHING SPECIAL.” – WHETHER IT WAS BECAUSE OF A GREAT COFFEE, AN INSPIRING CONVERSATION, OR SIMPLY THE VIBE OF THE PLACE.MIRA IS MEANT TO SHOW THAT A SPACE CREATED WITH GENUINE PASSION AND LOVE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE – MAYBE ONLY IN SMALL MOMENTS, BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT STAY WITH YOU. I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL WELCOME AND CONNECTED HERE, EVEN IF THEY JUST STOP BY FOR A SHORT VISIT. AND I REALLY HOPE MORE PEOPLE CHOOSE TO DO WHAT THEY GENUINELY LOVE – NOT JUST WHAT’S “IN” RIGHT NOW. TOO OFTEN, I SEE CAFÉS, SPACES, OR EVEN FASHION THAT ALL LOOK THE SAME BECAUSE EVERYONE IS CHASING THE SAME TREND. FOR ME, IT’S ABOUT STAYING TRUE TO YOURSELF AND CREATING SOMETHING REAL, SOMETHING WITH PERSONALITY.

THANKS NORBERT FOR SHARING YOUR VISION WITH US!