There& #39;s a dearth of small scale retail space available in most N.A. cities.

Humans are wired to like cozy, fine-grained urbanism, like these cafes in Japan. It feels good, AND it makes financial sense. Many small business, can& #39;t afford super sized retail bays.

More of this >

More.

Things you can advocate for in your local municipality that will help open the door for better city building:

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="Fettes weißes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes weißes Häkchen"> eliminate min. parking req.
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="Fettes weißes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes weißes Häkchen"> end single family only zoning
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="Fettes weißes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes weißes Häkchen"> permit ADUs & ACUs (accessory commercial units)
https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✅" title="Fettes weißes Häkchen" aria-label="Emoji: Fettes weißes Häkchen"> support higher density development - sprawl is $$

This post sparked a lot of good conversation. Thanks everyone!

One thing that came up was the lack of accessibility of these cafes.

It’s imperative that we design cities that are safe & navigable for all folks regardless of age or ability. Universal design is a must.

As a planner who has experienced chronic illness & loss of mobility, I think about this often.

I do believe we can achieve something that’s just as cozy & aesthetically pleasing as these shops in North America where we have the space to ensure everyone is welcome.