Why Did the Tims American-Style Coffee Landmark Shut Down?

The Tims Coffee store on Shanghai's University Road has taken down its sign and closed after more than five years. Opened on May 22, 2019 as the brand's fifth Shanghai outlet, it was the largest in the city at the time: a two-story North American-style log cabin covering over 400 square meters, with a cocktail bar alongside the coffee service.

Students had treated the shop as an off-campus study room, using its ample seating and free power outlets, and it was a common meeting point in the neighborhood. Tims later opened several other stores near Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, so the closure is not the end of the brand's presence in the area, though regulars say it is the end of a familiar landmark.

Recently, students near Shanghai's University Road discovered that the Tims Coffee location on University Road, which had accompanied them for over five years, was taking down its sign and quietly closing its doors. This store, which opened in 2019, was once the largest Tims outlet in Shanghai after the brand entered the city, consisting of a two-story North American-style log cabin with a total area of over 400 square meters. It was not only a meeting landmark for nearby residents but also a carrier of youthful memories for many university students who studied, dated, and crammed for exams off-campus. Its sudden closure has sparked widespread attention and regret, as well as various speculations about the reasons behind it. This article will review the unique features of this store, present the genuine reactions of customers, and sort through possible reasons for its closure.

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Recently, when students in the University Road area of Shanghai passed by the corner of Weide Road, they found that the always bustling Tims coffee shop was removing its sign, and couldn't help exclaiming, "The sky has fallen! Our memories are gone!"

According to Tims' official WeChat account, the Tims University Road store opened on May 22, 2019, and was the fifth store the brand opened after entering Shanghai, as well as the largest store in Shanghai at the time. The store consists of a two-story North American-style log cabin, with a total area of over 400 square meters.

Official information shows that in addition to serving freshly made warm food and coffee, the store also has a cocktail bar where customers can enjoy specially crafted cocktails.

Over the more than five years since opening, the Tims University Road store, with its unique geographical location and eye-catching appearance, has become the top choice for nearby residents to meet up, and the most frequently mentioned landmark when giving directions to those unfamiliar with the area.

At the same time, due to the ample seating and free power outlets, students from the surrounding area treat it as an off-campus study room, and university students carrying books and laptops to study there are a common sight. Before final exams, the store is often packed with no empty seats.

Although Tims later opened multiple stores around Shanghai University of Finance and Economics and Fudan University, for many nearby university students, this special old Tims store carries the youthful memories of their college years.

Whenever this store is mentioned, scenes of sweet dates, last-minute cramming before exams, rushing to finish papers and design programs, and the anxiety of waiting for resume responses all come flooding back.

However, just a few days ago, this store quietly ceased operations. A crane was parked at the entrance, removing all the light signs that had hung for over five years, and staff gradually moved out the equipment and machines inside. This sudden development left regular student customers exclaiming that it was too unexpected, without even a chance to say a proper goodbye.

"Every time I see Tims, I think of my final exam hell," "Studying/watching movies with friends here…," "Every time I give directions, I say it's in the neighborhood with the Tims coffee shop… now there's no landmark," "I've long been a regular at this Tims, and now I've lost an important study spot," "I really loved going to this store, damn, this is a thunderbolt from the blue," "Is last semester's final exam review here going to be the swan song?"

While lamenting the loss, some people analyzed the reasons for the store's sudden closure, suggesting that the lease may have expired and the space was taken over by another business. Some regulars also said that although the store had a lot of foot traffic and was hard to get a seat on weekends, the table turnover rate was not high, and combined with the high rent, they speculated that insufficient profitability forced the brand to close the store to cut losses.

Others pointed out that around University Road, besides Tims, there are chain brands like Starbucks and Luckin. In comparison, Tims' products are slightly less cost-effective, so being eliminated amid fierce competition from peers is understandable.

However, regardless of why this store closed so hastily, for the regular customers nearby, the cherry blossoms on University Road will still bloom in spring, but under the clear sky, that familiar red maple leaf light sign can no longer be found — "The people are gone, and so are the things."

Image source: Screenshot from the internet

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