Interview with the owner, Kimura Naoki
After operating in a shared space, 774 has established a store in a renovated traditional house.
I spoke with the owner, Naokimu, about the reasons for the move and future prospects.
The reason for establishing a physical store
The restaurant industry is facing a tough environment due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but why did you choose to become independent at this time?
Kimura
I wanted to be independent by the time I turned 30.
I had been aiming for independence since I was 16 or 17 years old.
I thought it would be tough during the pandemic because the income simply decreased, but it didn't matter to me.
The reason I established a physical store is that the timing of the property was right.
For me, the property is very important.
I had been interested in this area (Funakuracho, Kurashiki City) for a long time.
This property was not listed with real estate.
By chance, during my time in the shared space, when I mentioned to a customer, "I'm interested in that property," they said, "Oh, that's my property. Want to take a look?" and I went to see it.
That was in the midst of the pandemic in 2020.
At the stage of actually seeing it, I made my decision.
I thought, "This is it! I want to do this."
This was the reason for my independence.
Things inherited from the shared space era and new feelings that have emerged
Did you gather new tools?
Kimura
I gathered a full set of cooking equipment.
I have been using my own plates since the shared space era, and I still use them now.
The Chinese wok is also mine from the shared space era.
I used the wok today as well.
For curries like keema curry that require moisture to be evaporated, a cast iron pot is great.
The menu changes weekly.
It's fun to come up with recipes.
Sometimes I get stuck thinking, "Isn't this the same as the previous menu?"
Did you continue to offer curry because it was popular during the shared space period?
Kimura
That's right.
But I have also started evening service, not just lunch curry.
Actually, I didn't always want to run a curry shop.
Originally, I wanted to run a set meal restaurant.
During the shared space period, I started with curry because it was efficient to manage alone.
When you do it alone for a long time, you become more efficient.
Then you have the room to want to do different things.
Now I think about trying this, and once I get used to it, I might make one dish for lunch and manage it efficiently.
So it doesn't have to be just curry.
Right now, curry is popular, but it will fade away soon, so doing only curry would be tough for me both mentally and emotionally.
It doesn't make sense if I don't do something more fundamental and make it a store rooted in Kurashiki.
Anyone can open a store if they just want to run one, but I need to think about what I can do for the town and give it real meaning.
Recently, I have been thinking about what I can do for the future of the town.
Right now, I don't have the power, so I can't do anything, but that's the reality.
What I want to do for the town of Kurashiki
Do you have any visions for the future of the town?
Kimura
I want to raise the level of food culture in Kurashiki.
I often talk with my colleagues in the restaurant industry about how we should spend money properly to eat delicious food and think more about the planet.
There are things that are quite easy to eat and can be obtained cheaply.
Right now, we are in a state of consuming those.
Instead, I want to cherish the things that have been important to Japanese people for a long time, like valuing life and having a simple meal.
I need to study various things and raise my own level, and I hope that the level of those around me will rise as well.
If the level of food culture in Kurashiki itself rises, I think everyone will be happier.
I hope that 774 can be one of the choices that lead to happiness.
I think that connects to the meaning of doing this work.
But I only thought about this after becoming independent.
Before independence, I just wanted to run my own shop.
I had goals and dreams, and I wanted to realize having my own store.
I thought I would be happy once I achieved my goals.
But even after establishing the store, I wasn't happy at all.
Problems arose, and I became aware of my own powerlessness.
Through various reflections, I came to this kind of thinking.
As I interacted with customers daily, my thoughts began to change.
When I looked at it as Kimura running 774, not as Kimura from the shared space, I realized that this wasn't enough.
Is there a difference in your feelings compared to the shared space period?
It's completely different. The atmosphere and vibe.
In the shared space, I was literally borrowing.
That was quite an escape for me. I could say, "I'm still in a shared space."
But once I established the store, I couldn't say that even a little bit.
If I said that, I would be losing, and at that point, customers would stop coming.
The sense of responsibility is completely different.
It's more fun since becoming independent.
There are tough times, but interacting directly with customers every day and receiving their reactions makes me happy and motivates me to work harder.
However, that means I work longer hours.
I also do preparations on my days off.
Future prospects
Please tell us about the newly started evening menu.
Kimura
I handle a lot of local ingredients, and the wine is natural.
I recommend game meat.
Handling game meat is not only for the planet but also to let people know that the meat considered pests can be delicious.
It seems that wild boars and deer are increasing too much and cannot be fully controlled.
Even though they are pests, I hope that there is proper distribution so that the meat can reach the store.
And I would be happy if I could convey that game meat is delicious to even one person.
The evening service is still not well known, so I want people to know about it first.
The evening menu is completely different from the lunch menu, so I hope people will come.
Conclusion
The popularity from the shared space era remains, but 774 Curry is constantly changing and evolving.
The shop is putting effort into sweets and meat dishes, going beyond the framework of a curry shop.
Now that the goal of establishing a store has been realized, I am moving towards achieving new dreams.
We can't take our eyes off Naokimu and 774's evolution in the future.
Curry and Coffee Shop 774 Data
| Name | Curry and Coffee Shop 774 |
|---|---|
| Address | 1226 Funakuracho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 070-8583-0774 |
| Parking | None |
| Business Hours | 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM, open until 10:00 PM on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays |
| Regular Holidays | Irregular holidays |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservations | Available Reservations accepted by phone or Instagram DM |
| Seats | 12 seats: 2 tables for 4, 2 tables for 2 |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Official Instagram |
