- Square Enix is opening cafe and shop locations this spring.
- The Los Angeles site marks the company’s first full-scale licensed cafe in the United States
- Stores will combine cafe experiences with official merchandise retail spaces.
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Square Enix has revealed plans to open officially licensed café and shop locations in Los Angeles and Shinjuku, Tokyo.
The new venues will combine themed cafés with adjoining shop spaces. The cafés will feature menu items inspired by multiple Square Enix intellectual properties, while retail areas will carry official merchandise.
In Los Angeles, the location will open sometime this spring at 316 E 1st St. It will be operated by J-Pop Culture Café Inc and marks the first time a fully licensed Square Enix café experience of this scale will launch in the United States.
In Tokyo, the Shinjuku site will be located at Paselabo Tower across the first to third floors at 3-36-1 Shinjuku. Operated by Newton Corporation, this site is also aiming for a spring 2026 opening.
Square Enix said further details, including exact opening dates and additional offerings, will be shared later.
Making the most of merch
Earlier this month, Square Enix reported a 13% year-over-year decline in net sales, continuing a downturn that follows a five-year low in the prior year. Its digital entertainment segment, which makes up 57% of revenue, fell 24%, with mobile and PC browser games singled out for weakness in existing titles.
Despite weaker sales across most segments, notably merchandising saw growth in net sales and operating income during 2025. Square Enix’s overall profitability also improved.
Games crossing over into food and drink has been seen before, though often in temporary partnerships. Pokémon Go partnered with American bubble tea brand Kung Fu Tea in 2023, turning shops into Gyms.
That same year, Honkai: Star Rail partnered with Domino’s, Wendy’s and KFC – before opening its own themed café in Berlin in 2025.
