What the Jay Chou coffee shop rumor says about american coffee culture

Rumors spread on social media that Jay Chou had opened a coffee shop in Beijing's Sanlitun called Love Before the Common Era, and fans crowded the area during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. The shop is not his: it belongs to a star IP incubation base run by the company Legend Star, and Chou appeared only to support his wife Hannah Quinlivan's clothing pop-up store.

The menu is inexpensive by local standards, with an Americano at 18 yuan, and plush dolls and an autograph draw fans to the same photo spots. The episode shows how celebrity traffic shapes visits to coffee venues, a familiar thread in american coffee culture, and leaves open whether a small shop riding that attention can hold its footing in Sanlitun.

Recently, social media has been buzzing with rumors that Jay Chou opened a coffee shop in Beijing's Sanlitun called "Love Before the Common Era," drawing large numbers of fans to visit. However, upon verification, the shop was not opened by Jay Chou himself, but is part of a star IP incubation base created by the company Legend Star. Jay Chou only appeared in a check-in capacity to support his wife Hannah Quinlivan's clothing pop-up store. Despite the truth, fans' enthusiasm remains high, with many rushing to take photos at the same spots during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. The coffee shop's pricing is budget-friendly, with an Americano at just 18 yuan, which is quite conscientious in Beijing's coffee scene. Whether this small shop riding on Jay Chou's traffic can establish a firm foothold in Sanlitun remains to be seen.

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"The love I gave you was written before the Common Era, buried deep in the Mesopotamian plains~"

How many people fell into the Jay Chou rabbit hole because of this song, unable to extricate themselves ever since, and a whole youth passed just like that? And how many people are still looping Jay Chou's playlist to this day, as if every time the familiar melody plays, they return to those verdant years in their memories?

Recently, news has been circulating on social media that Jay Chou opened a coffee shop in Beijing's Sanlitun called "Love Before the Common Era," located on the first floor of #024 White Building.

Although it was only "hearsay" circulating online, upon hearing that it was a coffee shop opened by Jay Chou himself, fans naturally couldn't sit still. Regardless of whether it was true or not, they wanted to see for themselves. However, precisely because the news was not officially released, many fans who arrived at the scene found it not yet open, leaving everyone half-believing and half-doubting.

It wasn't until June 7 that a promotional video surfaced, titled "Jay is here~". Singer Jay Chou did indeed appear at this Love Before the Common Era coffee shop for a shoot, but not as the boss—rather, he came to "check in," and was even teased by fans as looking "more like a gruel-pancake version of Jay." In the video, besides showcasing the main products on the shop's menu, some Jay Chou plush dolls are placed at the bar counter, his autograph is on the wall, and a golden piano sits in the atrium.

It is reported that the #024 White Building where the coffee shop is located is a "star IP incubation base" created by Legend Star company. Besides the coffee shop on the first floor, upstairs is a pop-up store for Hannah Quinlivan's own fashion brand. When it opened not long ago, Jay Chou appeared with his mother to promote it and generate some buzz. Therefore, the rumor about "Jay Chou's coffee shop" is not true—it's more of a traffic-driving operation to support the "Heavenly King's wife."

In fact, devoted fans familiar with their idol know that Jay Chou has never been "particularly skilled" at business. After confirming with the staff, it was also learned that he didn't even drink a single cup of coffee when he visited—presumably he prefers milk tea more. Therefore, it is speculated that this pro mo tion is most likely related to Legend Star company.

But thanks to this wave of promotion, local devoted fans in Beijing still rushed to the opening site to check in during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday. After all, for Jay fans, just a coffee shop named after the song "Love Before the Common Era" is already full of appeal—and now being able to take photos at the same spots as their idol makes it even more unmissable.

It's worth noting that, looking at the drink menu alone, compared to other coffee shops opened by celebrities, this bakery-café named after Jay Chou's classic song is quite budget-friendly. The entire menu is basically under 30 yuan, with regular espresso drinks like Americano priced at only 18 yuan. A coffee shop in Beijing with such prices can be considered quite conscientious. As for whether this coffee shop riding on Jay Chou's traffic can establish a firm foothold in Sanlitun, let's wait and see!!

Image source: Xiaohongshu screenshot

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.