Artisan Contracting served as the general contractor for the build-out of The Sweet Life of Tou & Mai, a boba tea café and Asian mini mart located in Midtown Detroit and connected to the Sy Thai restaurant concept. This project transformed an existing commercial space into a dual-purpose hospitality and retail destination, combining specialty beverage service with a curated market featuring Asian snacks, drinks, and pantry goods.

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The scope of work included a full interior tenant build-out featuring a boba tea preparation and service bar, commercial beverage equipment installation, retail shelving and product display systems, refrigeration and cold storage, custom millwork, flooring, tile, lighting, and coordinated mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. The design required seamless integration between café operations and retail merchandising within a shared footprint while maintaining clear functional separation between service and shopping zones.

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A key focus of the project was creating an efficient, flexible layout that supports high-volume boba tea production while also allowing guests to browse and shop the connected mini mart experience. This included careful planning of front-of-house circulation, service flow, and back-of-house prep areas to support both rapid beverage service and ongoing retail restocking.

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Artisan Contracting worked closely with the ownership team, designers, and specialty vendors to deliver a space that aligns with the Sy Thai brand ecosystem while establishing its own distinct identity. Material selections, lighting design, and layout strategy were used to create a bright, modern, and highly functional environment that enhances both product visibility and customer experience.

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The completed The Sweet Life of Tou & Mai now serves as an integrated extension of the Sy Thai Midtown concept, offering a unique combination of boba tea service and Asian mini mart retail within one cohesive destination. The finished space supports both quick-service hospitality and curated shopping in a highly efficient urban footprint.

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This project highlights Artisan Contracting’s expertise in café construction, beverage-focused build-outs, retail and specialty market interiors, commercial tenant improvements, and hybrid hospitality concepts throughout Metro Detroit. Each project is delivered with a focus on precision, coordination, and creating operationally efficient spaces that support interconnected brand experiences.