Café
Latest articles, industry insights and brewing guides
How to Build a Coffee Shop with Style and Quality
A former state worker turned café owner shares how she built a profitable, youth-focused coffee shop with focus on taste and atmosphere.
Tsinghua Alumni Launch 40-Cafe Coffee Chain in China
Two Tsinghua alumni are opening 40 'Yingke Ainie' coffee shops across China, bringing Yunnan coffee into law firm spaces by year’s end.
How Hualien’s Warmth Transforms Specialty Coffee in Xiamen
A Taiwanese expat turned solo café owner in Xiamen brings Hualien-style hospitality and sunny vibes to her shop, creating a community hub centered on heartfelt coffee.
Did Startup Cafés in Zhongguancun Ever Dream Big?
Explore how Beijing’s Zhongguancun became a hub for tech startups, with coffee shops like 3W acting as incubators, and JD+ Tea launching nearby.
Free Coffee Makes Waiting at Tianjin FTZ Service Hall Easier
A new coffee lounge at Tianjin’s Free Trade Zone service center offers free coffee and help, cutting wait stress with 30 seats and on-site guidance.
How a Coffee Shop Became a Hub for Youth Reading Dreams
Discover how casual coffee meetups sparked a grassroots movement to reshape how Chinese youth engage with reading and storytelling.
How a Female Librarian Turned a Startup Café Into a Business Hub
In Ningbo, a former STEM graduate turned a crowdfunded café into a 500-square-meter startup hub hosting 100+ events. Here’s how.
Opening a Coffee Shop: The Reality Beyond the Dream
Why most independent coffee shops struggle: high rent, slow returns, and the gap between idealism and operational costs.
How a Former Banker Turned His Cafe Into an Ideas Hub
A Shanghai ex-banker quit a $70K job to open 612 Planet Cafe, selling not just coffee but event ideas and community services.
Why People Take Selfies at Starbucks and Other Cafés
Cafés like Starbucks are popular selfie spots due to their aesthetic appeal, lighting, and Instagram-friendly decor. Here’s why customers love snapping photos there.
What Do Specialty Cafés Sell Besides Coffee?
Explore how specialty cafés beyond just coffee—like Moscow’s time-based café or China’s event-hosting shops—diversify income with experiences and rentals.
Three University Students Funded a Cafe via WeChat in Six Months
Three students in China built a 22k-follower WeChat service account, turned a profit in six months, then used it to crowdfund a campus café.
Nanjing Road Builds Specialty Coffee District in Qingdao
Qingdao’s University Road to become a curated slow-life coffee street, with 30 cafes and a new community canteen opening in October.
Hidden Gem Specialty Cafés in Zhangzhou
Explore lesser-known Zhangzhou cafés offering distinct vibes—from vintage fashion spaces to quiet work-friendly havens.
Can a Solo Coffee Shop Succeed in a Crowded Market?
A solo-run café in Taiwan turned a profit within months by building a personal brand and diversifying income—not just selling coffee.
How Garage Cafe Became Beijing’s Startup Hub
A former internet cafe in Beijing’s Haidian district has transformed into a thriving workspace for grassroots entrepreneurs, hosting dozens of startup teams and weekly investor meetups.
Xi’an’s Dream Specimen Room: A Retro Lolita Café Guide
A go-to retro Lolita-style café in Xi’an, perfect for photos and coffee with unique décor under glass tabletops. Find address and vibe details inside.
13 Common Reasons Specialty Coffee Shops Fail
Why do so many specialty coffee shops close? These 13 key missteps—from poor location to weak service—explain most failures.
How Howard Schultz Built Starbucks from a Coffee Bean Business
Discover how Howard Schultz transformed a small Seattle coffee bean shop into Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain, driven by family trauma and a father’s dream.
How Starbucks Is Different From Other Coffee Brands
Starbucks isn’t just another coffee shop. Its positioning, service design, and marketing strategy target busy urban workers—not cafe loungers.