Why FrontStreet Coffee Opened a Second, Quirky Hangzhou Shop

When most coffee shops close within their first year, a roaster from Guangzhou—FrontStreet Coffee—chose to open not just one, but two locations in Hangzhou. And not in the bustling city center. The second? Tucked away on a dead-end road along the Qiantang River’s bend, in an area better known for schools and IT parks than caffeine cravings.

In short: Yes, they opened a second café in an offbeat, slightly inconvenient spot. But they did it deliberately—not impulsively—and with full awareness of the trade-offs.

The Backstory: Why Open a Second Café Now?

Two years ago, the team behind FrontStreet Coffee hesitated over whether to expand. By late 2023, they went ahead anyway. “We debated whether to ‘give birth’,” the article reads—using a metaphor for launching a new shop. Two years later, they now have two “children.” From a fertility perspective, that’s normal. Slightly tight timing, maybe. But not unreasonable.

The New Location: Qiantang River’s Quiet Bend

The new café sits on the southern bank of the Qiantang River, at a spot locals call “Qianjiang Bay,” where the river makes a slight turn. It’s not central. In fact, it’s pretty remote. A dead-end street leads to the water, flanked by a few residential blocks, schools, and IT offices. The retail strip is mostly empty—aside from a fruit shop and convenience store that showed up after FrontStreet moved in.

Rent isn’t dirt cheap, either. It sits right at the edge of affordability. That’s raised eyebrows among industry friends who urged them to set up shop elsewhere in Hangzhou. Their advice? Don’t stretch too far. Some even wondered if the roaster had lost its mind.

Why It Works (Or At Least, Why They Tried)

The new spot isn’t about chasing foot traffic. “I have a thousand reasons,” the article explains, “to justify opening this second café—for myself, for our team, and for the absurdity of the world.”

The goal wasn’t commercial dominance. It was about creating a counterpoint: a calm space across the river from the city’s chaos. “You shape a bit of leisure here,” the piece continues, “facing the glamour from afar. Not so sparse you feel abandoned, not so packed you lose yourself.”

The original and new cafés sit close together—so close, some worry about overlapping customer zones and split sales. That’s a fair concern. But for FrontStreet, the decision wasn’t about maximizing efficiency. It was about something less tangible: the value of showing up, even when the move looks “a little stupid.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is FrontStreet Coffee’s new Hangzhou location?

The new café is located on the southern bank of the Qiantang River in Hangzhou, in an area known as Qianjiang Bay. It sits along a dead-end road near schools and IT offices, and is not in the city’s central business district.

Why did FrontStreet Coffee open a second café in such a quiet area?

The team chose the location deliberately, not for high foot traffic but to create a tranquil space away from the city’s hustle. They wanted a counterpoint to urban chaos—a calm café experience with intentional solitude, even if it meant lower visibility or overlapping with their first shop.

Is the new café close to the original FrontStreet Coffee location in Hangzhou?

Yes, the two cafés are physically close to each other. This has led to concerns about overlapping customer bases and potential cannibalization of sales, though the team acknowledges the risk.

How much did rent factor into the decision to open in Qianjiang Bay?

Rent in the area is not cheap, and sits at the upper limit of what the team considered affordable. That made the decision a tricky one, and even led some industry friends to question the wisdom of the move.

What was the internal debate before opening the second café?

The team debated the expansion for two years. They questioned whether it was the right time or move. Ultimately, they decided to go ahead for personal, team, and philosophical reasons—even if outsiders saw it as risky or “stupid.”

Does the new café have the same coffee offerings as the original FrontStreet Coffee?

The article doesn’t specify menu differences, but as part of the same roaster and brand, it’s likely the new location serves similar specialty coffees, including single origins and house blends, roasted by FrontStreet Coffee.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee for Quiet Café Sipping

For a second-wave-style hangout like FrontStreet’s new Qianjiang Bay location, try their Ethiopia Huakui—bright with citrus and floral brightness—or the Yirgacheffe, offering delicate jasmine and lemon notes. Both shine in pour-over or AeroPress, ideal for slow sipping in a low-key space. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.