One of our inspirations comes from our experiences hanging out at many kissa in Japan. Shorthand for kissaten, these coffee and tea houses exploded in popularity in post-WWII Japan, with many having a particular musical inclination, becoming a place to gather to listen to new records as the price of vinyl and home stereo equipment was out of reach for many. Though there are many different genre specific kissa, jazz kissa seem to stand out as a bit of a flagbearer for these musical cafes.
At the heart of many of these kissa are their owners and operators, passionate music fans and gearheads. With collections and sound systems as unique as them, many are built around JBL and Altec Lansing speakers, often powered with low watt tube amplification. Some of these sound systems are among the most musical and physical listening experiences we’ve ever had.
Our system is built around a pair of vintage Altec 604E Super Duplex drivers, housed in a customized 612A enclosure built by Raf Lau. The 604 series were a popular recording studio monitor speaker for some of the best studios in the 1950s and 60s, including Abbey Road and American Sound Studio. Currently feeding our 604s is a Sansui AU-9500 integrated amplifier, with vinyl played through a set of Technics SL-1200 turntables and a Vestax PMC-250 mixer.
We still have some acoustic treatment to do in the space to make the listening experience even better, and will introduce listening events in the near future.
Soe (so-eh) comes from the concept of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, also known as kado, “the way of flowers.” It symbolizes the harmony between heaven and earth.
Hi friends, it took us a few years but here we are. Cafe opens this weekend. ☕️ We’re beyond excited to welcome you into our listening space. Come slow down, drink some good coffee, and listen to records with us 🎵
We’ll be easing into our wine program later this spring. We’re a very small team of two just continuously working on this dream.
Our bear Oslo might be outside at the door. He’s friendly, but a big puppy in training so please give him some space and ask him to sit before petting him. He said treats more than welcomed, but please ask us first!
Special thanks to @ette___ and @beauxhomedesign for making our vision come to life.
Four local businesses, one incredible giveaway!
Win $300 in giftcards from 4 local Penticton shops. All independant, all locally owned, and all are businesses you should get to know. @adhoc_penticton - women’s lifestyle shop focusing on premium clothing, shoes, and apothecary, ethically and sustainably produced by our favourite independent brands. ($75 gift card) @arcadiamodernhome - a curated home store rooted in thoughtful living, offering relaxed, refined pieces designed to elevate your everyday. ($75 gift card) @kinandfolkrestaurant - a refined neighbourhood restaurant rooted in community, bringing people together over bold, asian-inspired flavours, playful cocktails, and experiences that are good for the soul. ($75 gift card) @soe.cafe - Soe is a listening space centered around specialty coffee, wine, seasonal snacks, rotating chefs, and music curation. ($75 gift card)
Contest entry details on the last slide! Good luck!
#shopsmall #supportlocal #penticton
Party with us this Saturday to celebrate our 2nd birthday 🌸 Very special menu by @terroir.kitchen and vinyl by @zifferman 🎵 5 pm~
Can’t believe it’s been two years!! We couldn’t have done it without this community we love so much. Thank you for being part of our little journey :)
We’re excited to introduce pottery by local ceramic artist Alice Ingrid. Alice’s pieces feel right at home here, shaped by the land, the fire, and a deep sense of care.
Alice focuses on creating work from local materials found in the Okanagan. Her most recent body of work explores the relationship between soft, fluid forms, and organic surfaces created by the atmosphere of a wood kiln. During the wood firing process the wood itself becomes the glaze, decorating the surface of the pots as the flame and ash flow through the kiln. Often, wood fired pottery is fired for days to create these unique surfaces that change from one side of the pot to the next.
These pots were fired in an Anagama kiln over the course of 5 days in Winlaw, BC. A community of potters and pottery lovers came together to feed the flame that glazed these pots over the 125 hour firing. They’re here and they’re beautiful. Come take a look at these pieces next time you’re in!
Photos by @mjolenescott
Vancouver! 🎺🎵 Join us for a nice Sunday at the beautiful @shopneighbour new men’s space.
We’ll be installing a special sound system, making nel drip coffee using our @thetuliphouse natural Ethiopian house roast, and pouring a selection of wines from friends. Can’t wait to see you there 🪻
Neighbour Men’s Two
45 Powell St
January 12, 12-6 pm
Poster by Brock MacKay
Building a community through sound 🎺🎵
We’re so excited to introduce and invite you to our weekly listening series. Every Thursday this month, join us and guest hosts for an intimate night of deep listening and sonic connection. We’ll be exploring and enjoying unique music curation spanning different genres through our dedicated sound system.
Kissa-inspired, these installations are about sensory pleasure, nurturing your curiosity, and joining a diverse community of listeners, artists, and curators.
This month with
Nov 14 🔉 @aliam_hurst
Nov 21 🔉 @zifferman
Nov 28 🔉 @jared_jackels_bad_vibrations
Limited tickets are now available in store and online through our link in bio 💫
