Marcel Niederhauser is one happy businessman. In the lobby of Tokyo's Hilton Hotel in Shinjuku, visiting the small shop he opened with a Japanese partner just two weeks ago, he learns that the first day of Golden Week has been a bonanza. "We moved some 120 packs of tea. We're very, very happy with the way things are going."
The Ronnefeldt Tea Boutique is sited to the right of the coffee lounge, where young women queue for the all-you-can-eat afternoon banquet of teatime treats. Perfect, you might think. But most custom seems to be coming from people passing through from one part of the hotel to another. When customers are focused on the lounge, they're usually after coffee or food. When they come out, they're full. No matter. This is already a great location.
It was the Hilton that approached Marcel, not the other way around. "Management knew me already. They've been buying my teas for some time. When they asked if I would be interested in selling packaged teas, I thought, why not. We rent the space, and (Shinichi) Amano and I divide profits between us."