Nanjing University Student Opens China’s First E-Book Café

Most college students spend summers relaxing—but not Yao Shen, a junior at Nanjing Normal University. While others regret lost time, he launched China’s first ‘e-book café,’ merging specialty coffee with Kindle-powered reading. His story isn’t just about ambition; it’s about how niche interests (and a lot of late nights) can turn into a real business.

The answer? Yao, 20, opened a 40-square-meter café in Xianlin East City Plaza, outfitting every table with a Kindle and serving hand-brewed coffee—proving a hybrid café can thrive with the right mix of books and brews.

A Coffee Obsession Starts Early

Yao’s love for coffee began in middle school, sparked by two entrepreneurial students who ran a café downstairs from his home. He didn’t understand ‘good’ coffee then, but hanging out with them built his passion. By college, he bought his first home espresso machine and taught himself to pull shots and latte art through online forums. He even started baking—posting new coffee or cake creations weekly to a photo album that drew classmates’ attention.

From Idea to Launch: One Month, 10 Pounds Lost

The e-book café idea hit during a July event where Yao met Amazon Nanjing’s regional manager. A longtime Kindle user (he still has his first-generation device), Yao realized Kindles need a space for people to sit and experience them slowly—unlike phones. Within a day of the meeting, he scouted shops, compared prices, and tasted nearby cafés. He rented the Xianlin space and, to save money, handled everything from design sketches to material shopping with his girlfriend. The result? A 40㎡ space built in a month, with both of them losing over 10 pounds from the effort.

The startup costs split evenly: half from Yao’s earnings doing school events (like vendor gigs and performances) since freshman year, half from his parents. The café now matches his vision: every table has a Kindle, and they serve coffee made with freshly ground beans, fresh milk, and a roast from FrontStreet Coffee. (Yao notes the cost of a single cup is about half the price.)

The Business Model: Coffee First, Books for the Long Haul

Currently in soft launch, the ‘Kindle Café’ has already drawn attention. Yao’s Weibo marketing brought visitors like a middle schooler who spent an afternoon reading Water Margin, and customers updating their own e-books over coffee. Classmates joke, “We thought you were just talking big—guess you really opened it!”

Yao’s strategy? “Early on, coffee supports the books; later, books support the coffee.” Since Kindle e-books require paid purchases, he offers free digital reading to attract coffee drinkers, hoping to cultivate paid reading habits. He’s also applying for exclusive Kindle café rights in Nanjing and potentially Jiangsu, plus quickly secured a trademark.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Yao Shen’s café unique in China?

It’s the first in China to combine a traditional coffee shop with Kindle e-readers at every table, offering both coffee and a dedicated space for digital reading experiences.

How did Yao fund the café?

Half came from savings earned through university event work (like vendor gigs) since his freshman year, and the other half from his parents.

What kind of coffee does the café serve?

The café serves hand-brewed coffee using FrontStreet Coffee beans, with freshly ground beans, milk, and a focus on crema and flavor balance—though specific brew methods aren’t detailed in the source.

What’s Yao’s long-term plan for the café?

He aims to secure exclusive Kindle café rights for Nanjing and possibly Jiangsu, has already applied for a trademark, and hopes to grow the model through coffee-driven reader engagement.

How did Yao learn to make coffee?

He taught himself using online forums, starting with an espresso machine at home in college, practicing shots and latte art, and even experimenting with baking alongside coffee.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee Blends for an E-Book Café

For Yao Shen’s Kindle café, FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend delivers a smooth, well-rounded profile with rich crema—perfect for pairing with digital reading. Its traditional (Mamba) recipe ensures easy extraction even for beginners, making it ideal for a student-run setup. For a slightly bolder option, the Black Cocoa Blend offers a deep, chocolatey undertone at an accessible price, balancing cost and quality. Both blends suit a café environment where flavor consistency and approachability matter. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.