If you start walking around Jhamsikhel area, you come across numerous signboards that advertise various brands and lure passersby. Jhamsikhel has established a reputation for itself as one can find all kinds of restaurants, cafés and shops with unique ideas in the area. 

Evoke Café and Bistro in Jhamsikhel manages to stand out amid all the hustle and bustle. Evoke does not only serve food but also is a community in itself. The café offers various contemporary services that are rarely found in a single platform. 

Evoke houses stores like The Local Project, The Cycle Pit, Inkprovised Tattoo, The Platform Inc and House of Palettes all in the same courtyard. Each of these five stores provides different services, leaving no chance for business clash. 

The stores at Evoke have been inspired by the tiny shops and restaurants that are run in small courtyards or in a single building at Basantapur and Thamel areas, said Prakesh Shrestha, co-founder of Evoke Café and Bistro.

Evoke was first launched in Pokhara on December 25, 2015 before expanding in Kathmandu on August 19, 2016. Initially, the café served as a place to grab a bite of bakery or light snacks and a cup of coffee. 

A team of four co-founders — Abhilasha Rana, Sushant Thapa, Mohit Thapa and Prakesh —later turned the Jhamsikhel-based Evoke into a one-stop solution community. Sharing their story, the quadrate said, “As we were looking for a place to establish the café, we found a spacious area in Jhamsikhel. But the place was so big that we started thinking of creating something unique. We then decided o lease the extra space to people with new ideas and create a community of our own.”

After rigorous interviews and meeting with several interested as well as creative candidates, Evoke co-founders decided to have the five stores. As of now, Evoke has coordinated with its stores and hosted events like International Beer Day, BBQ Party and Fashion Revolution. 

Prakesh said, “We organize various events, programs and workshops after discussing everyone’s schedule so that it is convenient for all the shops here. Our aim is to provide an equal opportunity of growth to all five stores here. We are still in a trial and error phase. We look forward to making the idea more feasible for all.”

Sophia Groom, counselor at The British School and a regular customer at Evoke, said she found the idea unique and one-of-a-kind. She added, “I like Evoke because I can get multiple things done in the same place. Imagine how wonderful it must be to have your meal, shop and get a tattoo at the same place. The shops here even provide discounts on referral.”

THE LOCAL PROJECT

As a start-up dedicated to other start-ups, The Local Project provides a platform to new and unique Nepali products. Nepalis and expats alike love the products at The Local Project. Binam Shakya and Sachin Shrestha came up with the idea and now about 20 start-ups have partnered with the store. Not only start-ups, but established brands have also found a place for their products at The Local Project. The products here are best for gifts and souvenirs.

THE CYCLE PIT

The Cycle Pit is a one-stop solution to all your bicycle problems. Any person wandering around the area can stop by the shop and get their bike serviced or buy accessories at a feasible price. The store houses international brands that are mostly imported from the USA. Owner Rajan Bhandari is a bicycle rider himself also having worked as a mechanic and tourist guide for seven years. He opened the shop in February, 2017. 

INKPROVISED TATTOO

Skilled and trained artists at Inkprovised Tattoo will help you design a unique tattoo that you can flaunt for lifetime. After seven years of experience, Saiyam Shrestha started the shop at Evoke in collaboration with Shristi Lama. People between the ages of 10 to 70 years have come to the place for tattoos, said Saiyam. Inkprovised Tattoo also follows a strict hygiene regime.

HOUSE OF PALETTES 

If you’re looking for refreshment or just some time alone for your creative side, House of Palettes gives you the space to explore your creativity. Take a canvas and let the brush glide through it to make your own masterpiece. When Neha Agrawal came up with the idea of providing an art space for a leisurely experience, Rahul Agrawal and Deepa Agrawal joined in for the sake of art enthusiasts.

THE PLATFORM INC

The Platform Inc is a co-working space by Prasan Krishna Shrestha and Kushal Bajracharya. People from different professional backgrounds can work under the same roof here. The place provides basic amenities and a peaceful ambience to generate ideas. One can book a co-working space here on daily, weekly or monthly basis.