To celebrate 100 years, House of Suntory wanted to create an immersive experience that brought guests into the world of Japan and the House of Suntory.

To share the joy of Suntory, they built a pop-up bar and brought it various cities across the United States, serving thousands of guests. The experience was rooted in Japanese hospitality and attention to detail, with an intention to re-create the feeling of a Japanese vinyl bar.

I was brought in to craft a musical journey through Japan across 100 years, and to help lead creative direction for the bar’s interior.

House of
Suntory
A man in traditional Japanese attire standing behind a bar, smiling and preparing a cocktail, with Japanese lanterns on shelves in the background

One of Suntory’s master mixologists.

We sourced dozens of original Japanese vinyls pressings to fill the bar. Japanese vinyls are valued by collectors for their rarity and superior vinyl pressing techniques.

When we couldn’t find original Japanese releases, we designed and printed custom “obi”s to give every record an authentic feeling. An obi is a strip that is looped over one side or folded over the top of vinyl LP albums released in Japan,

Japanese cassette tape cover featuring pink, purple, and red sections with Japanese text, rainbow graphic, and record label logos.
Japanese cassette tape cover featuring yellow, brown, and black sections with Japanese text and logos, including a red price label of ¥1,100, and English song and artist information.
A vertical Japanese music record advertisement featuring a green apple, a black musician playing guitar, and Japanese text with prices, all set against a colorful background.
Album cover featuring abstract geometric art with black and white shapes on a yellow background, titled 'Kin' with Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige 7129.
Album cover art for Champagne Jam by Atlanta Rhythm Section featuring a cartoon fish playing drums, holding a microphone, and wearing a hat, with a pink and red bubble background and a logo at the top.
The album cover features two colored spheres, one yellow and one red, set against a black background.
Album cover featuring images of the Beatles, with both men smiling, and Japanese text.
A person with curly hair and a leather jacket is holding a camera and standing in front of a colorful mural or poster featuring a large, cartoonish human face and the text 'LOFGRN'.

2023
Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Chicago, Austin, New York

People enjoying cocktails at a bar with a bartender in front of a sign that reads 'The House of Suntory, The Nature and Spirit of Japan'.

Select Works

Avantika holds an iphone for Shelf, standing in front of a wall decorated with various photos, notes, and posters.
Gray T-shirt hanging in a closet with the text 'I LISTEN TO BUBBI RADIO' printed on it.

Shelf

Bubbi Radio

Two women dressed in historical costumes, standing outdoors with trees in the background.
Electronic billboard in an urban setting advertising RangeSafe.com with orange background and white text.

Lore

Range Safe