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AKB48 Cafe & Shop in Akihabara Closes After 8 Years
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The official blog for the AKB48 Cafe & Shop in Akihabara, Tokyo announced on Monday that the cafe will cease operations on December 31 due to planned renovations in the area surrounding the Akihabara railway station. The staff is currently considering relocating the cafe, but has not made a decision. The web service "AKB48 Cafe & Shops Online" and the tie-in "Passport" app will also shut down on December 31.
The cafe opened on September 29, 2011, and is themed after the AKB48 idol group. The cafe serves AKB48-themed food and drinks, and offers merchandise. It also has AKB48 memorabilia and photos on display.
The cafe is a five-minute walk from the AKB48 Theater, where the idol group held its first performances in 2005 and has continued performing there ever since. The cafe is also next door to the nine-year-old Gundam Cafe location in Akihabara, but that Gundam Cafe has not announced plans to close.
Source: AKB48 Cafe & Shop blog via Hachima Kikō
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