Tokyo Smoke brings coffee, clothing, and cannabis culture together in a space that was once the loading dock of a former tobacco factory.

Tokyo Smoke can be found occupying a modified shipping container inside the loading dock of a former tobacco factory tucked away at Adelaide and Stafford just south of West Queen West.

This "next wave" coffee shop has an industrial yet upscale vibe, making optimal use of its small space with a coffee bar up front, a communal table (with a strong WiFi connection) surrounded by well-curated goods in the back, plus more seating in the form of a few Eames chairs outside.

 

 
 
 

What Is Success For Tokyo Smoke?

 Continue to work on something that gives meaning to life and makes people happy. Best thing about his coffee shop is that people seem delighted to be there. Goal is to delight people at scale.

 

Advice For Entrepreneurs?

Manage your own energy. Could be working 24 hours a day on your own. Not always the same kind of division of labor and support that one gets at an established company. Have patience with yourself and your business.

 

Work/Life Balance?

 Build periodic “escapes” into your life. Schedule them. Be conscious of your need for them. (micro level: meditate, get outside, take a lunch break macro level: go on a trip). In terms of travelling, these trips are linked to making life about growing in ways that are beyond work/business.

This is important as it will help bring new learnings and new dimensions to your work.