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My experience traveling to Suzhou and Kyoto confirm what you are saying. I wonder what all the factors are that contribute to the increase in small businesses.

by max76 8y ago

My experience traveling to Suzhou and Kyoto confirm what you are saying. I wonder what all the factors are that contribute to the increase in small businesses. I would like to see an increase in these types of retail businesses and restaurants. Kyoto, and to a lesser proportional degree Suzhou, have much more tourism than Seattle has. Both cities experience more foot traffic. Both cities are much older. I wonder if there are any differences on the retail market, business capital market, or legal regulations that encourage empty retail spots to be quickly filled in Kyoto and Suzhou. I wonder if Asian retailers feel strong competition from online orders. The Seattle housing market, either with market forces or legal regulation, have more complete kitchens than the Kyoto/Suzhou housing market. I wonder what effect this has on the restaurant market. > On a related note, I'd love to see more restaurants that fit only 5 or 6 people in them, with just a chef running the whole show. Is it less efficient? Maybe, but the food is better. Food trucks are a very close approximate to this type of restaurant.

com2kid 8y ago
> Food trucks are a very close approximate to this type of restaurant. The quality is a world of difference though. Those tiny restaurants in other countries have real chefs with full, if small, kitchens, cooking sit down meals. Best bowl of ramen I had in Japan was a single chef establishment, he was in a U-shaped open kitchen and guests sat around him. > I wonder if there are any differences on the retail market, business capital market, or legal regulations that encourage empty retail spots to be quickly filled in Kyoto and Suzhou. I think the very existence of small retail spots helps! > and to a lesser proportional degree Suzhou, have much more tourism than Seattle has. In 2017 Seattle had 39.9 million tourists (https://www.visitseattle.org/press/press-releases/seattle-sees-eighth-consecutive-year-of-record-tourism/ https://www.visitseattle.org/press/press-releases/seattle-se...), in 2013 Suzhou had 1.7 million (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/jiangsu/suzhou/travel/2013-09/23/content_16987667.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/jiangsu/suzhou/travel/2013-09...) FWIW, if anyone reading this is wondering where to go next, I'd recommend Suzhou! (or visit Seattle in late spring, Suzhou in early autumn!) Every year at PAX West I am saddened by the lack of good food around DT Seattle for people to eat. Granted downtown is largely a business district, but I bet Subway gets the majority of PAX West food sales!

by max76 8y ago

com2kid 8y ago

> Food trucks are a very close approximate to this type of restaurant. The quality is a world of difference though. Those tiny restaurants in other countries have real chefs with full, if small, kitchens, cooking sit down meals. Best bowl of ramen I had in Japan was a single chef establishment, he was in a U-shaped open kitchen and guests sat around him. > I wonder if there are any differences on the retail market, business capital market, or legal regulations that encourage empty retail spots to be quickly filled in Kyoto and Suzhou. I think the very existence of small retail spots helps! > and to a lesser proportional degree Suzhou, have much more tourism than Seattle has. In 2017 Seattle had 39.9 million tourists (https://www.visitseattle.org/press/press-releases/seattle-sees-eighth-consecutive-year-of-record-tourism/ https://www.visitseattle.org/press/press-releases/seattle-se...), in 2013 Suzhou had 1.7 million (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/jiangsu/suzhou/travel/2013-09/23/content_16987667.htm http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/jiangsu/suzhou/travel/2013-09...) FWIW, if anyone reading this is wondering where to go next, I'd recommend Suzhou! (or visit Seattle in late spring, Suzhou in early autumn!) Every year at PAX West I am saddened by the lack of good food around DT Seattle for people to eat. Granted downtown is largely a business district, but I bet Subway gets the majority of PAX West food sales!