Los Angeles Matcha Brand Archives of Us Signs Retail Lease in East Village

A Los Angeles-based matcha cafe chain has signed a retail deal for its first New York City location in Manhattan’s East Village.

Archives of Us has leased 2,400 square feet at Highpoint Property Group’s 84 Second Avenue, where it will act as a cafe and retail presence for the matcha brand, according to landlord broker Meridian Capital Group.

Meridian did not disclose the length of the lease, but the asking rent for the space was $125 per square foot.

“This was a rare opportunity to secure a fully fitted space on a prime stretch of Second Avenue,” Meridian’s Noam Aziz, who represented the landlord alongside Carson Shahrabani, said in a statement. “Archives of Us has built one of the most distinctive matcha concepts in the country, and the East Village is an ideal setting for its New York debut.”

Milly Cheung and Jordan Cohen of Lee & Associates NYC negotiated on behalf of the tenant but did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The space between East Fourth and Fifth streets was previously leased to tapas restaurant Nai, a concept by chef Ruben Rodriguez that closed in November 2025. The space came fully furnished and built out for a restaurant from the previous tenant, according to Meridian.

Archives of Us was started by Nick Kim in April 2025 in Los Angeles. Shahrabani commented that the brand could emerge to be “the La Colombe of matcha in New York City.”