Selling Coffee on Cedar Road: One Woman’s Winter Routine

At 8:30 p.m. on a winter evening in Wuhan, most food stalls along Cedar Road have cleared out. Only a few tables remain at Bali Lobster, while the kitchen staff at neighboring Eyeglasses Restaurant scroll their phones. Tucked between the two, in a five-meter-wide pedestrian lane stacked with braised meat and soup stalls, a young woman serves her ninth drink of the night: a Mandheling. This is Gao Siyu’s fifth month running her coffee cart here.

Yes, people do buy coffee on Cedar Road. Despite the off-season lull, Gao—who used to manage a regional coffee chain—reports better sales here than at some mall cafés. But when she recently moved her cart closer to the lane’s entrance, business dropped sharply. She’s adapted by shifting her hours: now open at noon to serve nearby office workers post-lunch.

The Accidental Coffee Entrepreneur

Gao Siyu didn’t set out to sell coffee. In college, she ran a milk tea shop in a school cafeteria leased by her relative, netting between ¥3,000–¥7,000 a month with just an ¥800 rent. She thought milk tea was the fast track to wealth—until she realized finance and tech paid far more. At 20, she went to Macau to learn milk tea production at a casino, only to find herself trapped in illegal labor conditions with grueling hours.

After graduation, she climbed the corporate ladder at a major coffee chain, earning over ¥10,000 a month. Her routine involved frequent flights to Hong Kong for skincare procurement, but she spent less than a week a month in Wuhan. “I visited 61 cities,” she recalls, “but it was exhausting.” After her third resignation in May, she finally pursued what she’d always wanted: selling coffee her way.

The Coffee Cart That Could

Gao built her mobile cart herself from a tricycle, spending two months on the retrofit. It’s decked out with string lights and disco-style orbs to draw attention. She offers everything from Vietnamese iced milk coffee to homemade plum wine and cocktails, all brewed using a setup that includes a grinder, pour-over gear, a milk frother, and even a cocktail shaker.

“People come here for conversation as much as caffeine,” she says. Regulars chat about work stress or local eats; strangers confide in her between sips. On summer nights, the cart is often obscured by other stalls, but loyal customers seek it out—some just for a glass of iced Vietnamese milk coffee. In peak season, the cart serves as both business and social hub.

The Business Behind the Cart

Initially skeptical that a coffee cart could outearn a regional manager, Gao now sees mobile service as ideal for future O2O models. “Freshness matters,” she insists. “Temperature fluctuations affect coffee as much as sushi.” She aims to eventually enter international coffee trading. Despite her drive, money remains a constant anxiety. She rates its importance a solid 10 out of 10—it buys security but fuels relentless effort.

Every detail matters: she lifts measuring cylinders deliberately (a habit from retail QA), scrubs every vessel after closing, and operates solo—taking orders, making drinks, packing, chatting, and updating social media. Rainy days are her only breaks. “Years of high-intensity work have trained me,” she says. “If I’m still in bed past 10, I feel guilty.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Cedar Road and why is it notable for coffee?

Cedar Road is a once-bustling food street in Wuhan that quiets down in winter. It’s notable for its side lanes filled with late-night food stalls, where Gao Siyu’s mobile coffee cart operates. Despite fewer customers in the colder months, the area still draws enough foot traffic for her to sell around nine drinks on a typical evening.

How did Gao Siyu start selling coffee?

Gao transitioned into coffee after working various jobs during college, including managing a milk tea shop and later a regional role at a coffee chain. After quitting her corporate job in May, she built a coffee cart from a modified tricycle and began selling coffee and other beverages on Cedar Road.

What kind of drinks does Gao serve at her coffee cart?

Gao serves a range of drinks including Mandheling coffee, Vietnamese iced milk coffee, homemade fruit wines, cocktails, and espresso-based beverages. She uses a fully equipped cart with a grinder, pour-over tools, a milk frother, and a cocktail shaker to prepare them.

Why did Gao move her cart closer to the lane’s entrance?

Gao hoped for better visibility by moving her cart closer to the lane’s entrance, but it unexpectedly reduced her sales. She adapted by changing her operating hours to noon to serve office workers looking for a post-lunch coffee.

Does Gao plan to expand her coffee business?

Yes, Gao aims to explore international coffee trading and believes in mobile coffee as part of future O2O (online-to-offline) models. She emphasizes coffee freshness due to temperature sensitivity and is focused on maintaining high standards for every cup.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Mobile Brewing

For street-level coffee like Gao Siyu’s, try FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe from the Gedeb cooperative—bright citrus and floral notes shine in pours. Their Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 (Typica) offers balance with chocolate and almond tones, great for pour-over or espresso. Also consider Brazil Queen Manor Yellow Bourbon: creamy with caramelized sugar notes, ideal for slower service. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.