His 'Sonic the Hedgehog'-Themed Pop-Up Restaurants Bring the Classic Video Game to Life — and Feature the Beloved Character's Favorite Food

Fans of Sonic the Hedgehog cognize each astir his emotion of chili dogs. So why shouldn't the bluish video crippled leader person his ain restaurant? Kevin Seo, creator of the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe pop-ups, is the 1 who made it a reality.

Seo started successful the firm world but soon recovered his existent calling extracurricular of it. He now helps creators from galore different arenas motorboat brands and events. Seo is simply a co-founder of companies specified arsenic Secret Sauce Society, a trading agency, and Logistics Consulting.

Seo's first viral sensation was a edifice specializing successful smash burgers — besides the world's first NFT-themed restaurant. He and his partners purchased a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT to get the authorities to the image. Their blockchain burger joint, Bored And Hungry, quickly dispersed to world locations. The idea, which started successful Long Beach, California, now has six locations successful Asia.

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Bored and Hungry's viral occurrence soon attracted the attraction of bigger brands. Eventually, Seo talked to SEGA, the institution down 1 of his favourite nostalgic video games, Sonic the Hedgehog. The thought of turning the beloved video crippled character's favourite food, chili dogs, into a real-world edifice was excessively bully to ignore.

Seo collaborated pinch up-and-coming imaginative designers connected everything from streetwear to packaging to curate a genuinely immersive experience. Bringing the crippled to life required paying attraction to each detail, down to the AstroTurf flooring successful the restaurant. The squad had a pop-up conception made to spell viral.

The first location of the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe launched astatine ComicCon 2023 successful San Diego. Game fans could bask chili dogs, food fries and more. Seo and his squad made judge to prioritize the value of ingredients to make the astir of this nutrient experience.

Seo's accuracy regarding the Sonic the Hedgehog Speed Cafe was simple: He cared astir the fans and wanted to bring them from the video crippled world to a wholly caller platform.

The institution launched its existent pop-up successful Atlanta connected January 18; the cafe will only beryllium unfastened for 60 days.

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Content authorities of mind

How do you support momentum successful a imaginative endeavor for illustration this? Seo sees everything arsenic imaginable contented for his personal brand aliases the brands he partners with. His authorities of mind is "always content." You ne'er cognize what will activity aliases what will make an affectional effect successful conscionable the correct way.

He embraced this thought by creating the Good Service podcast. He teamed up pinch his friend Ben Chung to stock their belief lives pinch the world. Seo said their religion drives everything they do, some astatine activity and astatine home.

They started this show for nosy but soon committed to signaling each Thursday. They ever person bully nutrient connected the array to showcase section restaurants. Their guests are broad, and the conversations are deep.

Seo's champion proposal for anyone reasoning of starting their ain podcast aliases akin show comes from his ain experiences. He believes that authenticity and vulnerability, though hard, are captious to making lasting connections pinch your listeners.

"It's truthful easy to spot personification conscionable faking it," Seo says.

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