Recently, the Tims coffee store located in Ningbo Tianyi Square officially closed. As the brand's first store in Ningbo, it had been operating for nearly four years since opening in April 2021. As soon as the news broke, many regular customers rushed to the store to take photos as mementos, while discussions about the reasons for the closure continued to ferment online. Some speculated that high rent and fierce brand competition within the commercial district were the main reasons, while others worried about the operating conditions of Tims' other stores in Ningbo. This article sorts through the entire process of the store from opening to closing, and summarizes various views from consumers and industry insiders, taking you through the ins and outs of the incident. [more…]

Luckin Coffee has opened its second flagship store nationwide in Ningbo, marking Zhejiang Province's first flagship outlet. Located beside the scenic waters near Crystal Street in Tianyi Square, the store appears to float on the water from a distance. The two-story space, adorned in black and gold, spans nearly 400 square meters, second only to the flagship store in Xiamen. The opening day was bustling, but many customers noticed numerous staff in blue uniforms attending to guests outside the bar area, initially mistaking the store for having around 50 baristas. In reality, these individuals were regional management personnel attending the celebration, not barista staff. Coffee enthusiasts have engaged in considerable discussion regarding the staffing, equipment, and differences between this new flagship and the inaugural one in Xiamen. [more…]

Recently, an instant black coffee called POSITIVE HOTEL has quickly gone viral thanks to celebrities holding it on camera and it flooding social media, and fans call it "PH Coffee." Officially, it is promoted as a Korean weight management brand that is all the rage in the Korean entertainment circle. However, some media investigations have found that this coffee, which advertises itself as Korean, has never been launched in South Korea itself; it is actually operated by a China-Korea joint venture, and its production site is also in China. The path to PH Coffee's explosive popularity, its true identity, and why it is classified under the "health food" category have sparked widespread attention. [more…]

The "Daily 500 Fruits & Vegetables" series recently promoted by Nayuki has sparked heated discussion on social platforms, but unexpectedly, what really catches the eye is not the flavor of the drinks, but the square packaging cups specially designed by the brand for this series. This cup, with its square shape, PP5 material, and white sealed lid, quickly became popular because of its combination of good looks and practicality, and at one point there was even a situation where "the cup is more popular than the product." Many consumers noted in their orders that they wanted the square cup, and store employees were once happy to oblige. However, as demand surged, the brand headquarters began to standardize material supply. Now, if you want a square cup, you can only pay extra through the official mini-program to upgrade the cup type. The once-circulated "note request for a free square cup" hack has completely stopped working. This article sorts out the ins and outs behind this phenomenon and explores how brands can balance material control with consumer expectations. [more…]

The Starbucks store at Wangfujing Department Store in Changsha's Wuyi Square, the brand's first location in Hunan Province, has recently been reported to be permanently closing. Having operated for fourteen years, this store not only witnessed Starbucks' expansion in Changsha but also carried the coffee memories of countless residents. However, with intensifying competition among tea and coffee brands in the Wuyi commercial district, adjustments to commercial leasing policies, and changes in Starbucks' market strategy, this iconic store has ultimately reached its end. This article will review the store's glorious past, analyze the possible reasons for its closure, and present the regret expressed by local residents. [more…]

Luckin Coffee is about to celebrate the opening of its 10,000th store worldwide. This highly commemorative location is situated in Xiamen, the city where the brand's headquarters is based, specifically on Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street in Siming District. With a total area exceeding 600 square meters, it features a two-story layout and is expected to officially open its doors on June 5th. Unlike typical Luckin stores, this location is positioned as a testing ground for a brand-new format, introducing new sections such as automated pour-over and roasting, and adopting an industrial style accented with gold in its design instead of the classic blue and white color scheme. As soon as the news broke, many netizens engaged in lively discussions about the operational pressures of such a large space. As the brand with the leading number of stores in China's coffee market, Luckin's milestone move has drawn significant industry attention. [more…]

In St. Mark's Square in Venice, there is a café that spans nearly three centuries—Caffè Florian. Since its founding in 1720, it has not only been Italy's oldest coffee house but also an important witness to European culture and art. From Goethe and Byron to Andy Warhol, countless celebrities have left their footprints here; from the birth of the Venice Biennale to the tradition of live European-style orchestral music, Caffè Florian has always been closely connected with art. In 2015, it entered Asia for the first time, settling in Shinkong Place in Suzhou, presenting 295 years of Italian coffee culture to Eastern customers in its authentic form. This article will take you to explore the origins of Caffè Florian, anecdotes about famous figures, its musical traditions, and its global branch layout, and to experience the charm of coffee that has been cultivated over three centuries. [more…]

Recently, news that Chongqing's first Starbucks store is about to close has sparked heated discussions on social media. Since opening in February 2006, this store located in Sanxia Square in Shapingba has accompanied the citizens of this mountain city for 18 years, expanding from two floors to three and upgrading to a Reserve store, carrying the youthful memories of countless people. However, as the lessor withdraws entirely, the store will officially cease operations at the end of this month. The brand responded that it has opened a new store in Huayuzhou Plaza, just a hundred meters away, to continue serving customers. At the same time, factors such as the wave of traditional department store closures and changes in foot traffic in commercial districts have led people to speculate that Starbucks may have other considerations behind this move. This article takes you through the past of this iconic store and explores the multiple reasons behind its closure. [more…]

In the public perception, chain coffee stores usually require a certain amount of space for tables, chairs, and storage, so their scale is not too small. However, Cotti recently announced the launch of a convenient store format called "COTTI Express," using a store-in-store model to compress the minimum opening area to one square meter, greatly reducing both investment and the break-even point. In fact, brands such as Manner with Lianjia and Tims with Sinopec Easy Joy had already tried similar partnerships. Although this model enables low-cost rapid expansion, it has also raised concerns among franchisees about internal competition, pressure from convenience stores' own coffee brands, and quality control and food safety. Whether the store-in-store model can ultimately help brands capture a larger market still needs time to be tested. [more…]

Following the closure of the last store of its sub-brand Xixiaocha, Heytea confirmed on November 3 that it will open franchising, with partnership fees kept under 500,000 yuan and franchise store formats primarily under 50 square meters. Heytea stated it will leverage a decade of accumulated experience and resources to develop its partnership business in non-first-tier cities with suitable store formats, providing partners with comprehensive support in branding, products, quality control, food safety, operations, training, and supply chain. In recent years, Heytea has accelerated its expansion into lower-tier markets, successively adjusting prices, launching IP collaborations, and shutting down its budget sub-brand. Opening franchising is now seen as a key step to further capture market share in third- and fourth-tier cities. Whether the new tea beverage sector will face a new round of involution, and whether direct-operated brand Nayuki will follow suit, remains worth watching. [more…]

Recently, pages posing as the official Luckin Coffee website have appeared online, publishing franchise information and drawing the attention of many coffee enthusiasts. However, Luckin Coffee has long clearly stated that the brand operates on a direct-management model and does not accept franchising in any form. This article will expose the tricks of these fake franchise websites, sort out Luckin Coffee's operating entities and store types, and help readers identify scams to avoid financial loss. At the same time, Front Street Coffee also reminds everyone that investing in the coffee industry requires carefully verifying official information. [more…]

As 2024 draws to a close, Starbucks has been reported closing stores in multiple locations across China. Its store at Wuhan Hongshan Square subway station quietly withdrew, and an old outlet in Nanning Parkson, after twelve years of operation, announced it would close at the end of the month. Add to that the earlier closure of its first store in Changsha, and this chain coffee brand, which has been deeply rooted in the Chinese market for over twenty years, is now facing multiple pressures: rising rents, declining foot traffic, and competition from low-priced coffee. Last month's news that it was "considering selling a stake in its China business" has only fueled speculation about its future direction. This article will review recent store closures, analyze the complex reasons behind them, and retain the "Front Street" brand-related recommendations. [more…]

How much can you actually lose by opening a coffee shop? Many shop owners have shared their real earnings on delivery platforms: a cup of coffee originally priced at over twenty yuan, after deducting various discounts and commissions, may leave them with only a few cents, or even result in negative-order losses. Knowing they are losing money, they still force themselves to stay on delivery platforms, simply because if they do not join the promotions, they get no orders all day. At the same time, coffee shop transfer listings have surged on social platforms, from big cities to small towns, from large stores of several hundred square meters to tiny shops of just over ten square meters, all in a hurry to offload. Through the real experiences of several independent shop owners, this article reveals the harsh reality currently facing coffee shop operations, while also retaining the brand recommendation and product information of "Front Street" for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

A mere 20-square-meter coffee shop in Macau, with its consistent quality and unspoken rapport with regulars, leaves a lasting impression; a 1-square-meter mini café in Japan, converted from a cigarette kiosk, has also become a neighborhood landmark. These cases reveal a common pattern: the success of a coffee shop lies not in its size, but in precise positioning, consistent products, high cost-effectiveness, and attentive service. This article systematically reviews the operating strategies and marketing trends of community cafés in 2023—from community site selection, quality control, and customer base maintenance to repeat-purchase promotions such as points, stamp cards, and scratch cards—providing actionable reference ideas for coffee entrepreneurs. [more…]

Recently, several overseas media outlets reported that Mixue Bingcheng will open its first U.S. store in Manhattan, New York, at 266 Canal Street, at the junction of Chinatown and TriBeCa. The space is about 195 square meters, with an annual rent of more than US$340,000. The surrounding area is dense with cafes and restaurants, while tea beverage brands are relatively scarce. Some reports say Mixue Bingcheng has long intended to enter the U.S. market, aiming directly at Starbucks. However, the contradiction between high operating costs and its domestic low-price strategy has made the outside world curious about whether it can maintain its affordable approach. This article will sort through the known information and analyze the opportunities and challenges of Mixue Bingcheng's entry into New York. [more…]

Luckin Coffee, which now operates over 7,846 stores, is accelerating its upstream supply chain expansion. Following the start of production at its first roasting plant in Pingnan, Fujian, Luckin's second fully automated smart roasting base—independently invested and built in Kunshan, Jiangsu—has recently broken ground and is expected to begin production in 2024. With a total investment of approximately US$120 million, the base covers 53,000 square meters and will have an annual roasting capacity of 30,000 tons, incorporating core equipment such as the Italian BRAMBATI roasting system. By then, Luckin's two major roasting bases will have a combined annual capacity of over 45,000 tons, supplying fresher and safer green coffee beans to stores nationwide while advancing the brand toward its goal of a globalized, refined supply chain. [more…]

The Tims store at Aishan Plaza in Huzhou, the brand's first outlet in the city, has posted a closure notice less than two years after opening and will cease operations on January 4, 2026. Meanwhile, Tims stores in Wenzhou, Yinchuan, Fuzhou and other places have also been reported to have quietly closed, contrasting sharply with the brand's high-profile announcement of reaching the 1,000-store milestone in October 2024. Data from Zhaomen Canyan shows that the number of currently operating stores has fallen below 1,000. This article reviews the whole story of the closures, consumer reactions and the brand's expansion pace, and includes relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee for coffee enthusiasts' reference. [more…]

When ordering at a coffee shop, you usually buy by the cup, but a store in Chengdu has turned tradition on its head — Auncel Coffee, which sells coffee beans by the gram. Customers pick their own beans, have them weighed, and then a conveyor-belt assembly line handles grinding and brewing. This small shop near Tianfu Square in Jinjiang District, with its minimalist black-and-white style and an L-shaped laboratory-like long bar, has drawn plenty of coffee lovers looking to check in. Bean prices range from 0.28 yuan to 1.88 yuan per gram, and a cup of coffee ends up costing anywhere from a few yuan to thirty or forty yuan. Whether this model can gain a foothold in the fiercely competitive coffee market is worth watching. [more…]

The co-branding campaign between Chagee and "Ne Zha 2" had not yet been officially announced, but a large number of leaked merchandise images had already surfaced on social media, sparking heated discussion among fans. However, as more images were exposed, merchandise enthusiasts who had been full of anticipation discovered that the square badges in this design bore a striking resemblance to competitor Cotti's fridge magnets, and the quality also fell short of expectations, with disappointment written all over their faces. Facing the growing public discourse, Chagee's official account appeared in the comments section to debunk rumors and try to soothe fans' emotions. Meanwhile, Cotti, which was the first to launch its co-branded campaign, won praise for its sincerity and after-sales service, invisibly putting comparative pressure on Chagee. How will this co-branding controversy unfold? And what gaps exist between fans' expectations and the brand's preparations? [more…]

Domestic high-end beauty retailer HARMAY has taken another cross-industry leap by opening a 700-square-meter, four-story flagship store on Wukang Road in Shanghai. The ground floor features a coffee counter by Marionbar, offering black coffee, milk coffee, chocolate drinks, and draft beer. Meanwhile, its first store on Anfu Road, which opened in 2017, has closed; the original site will be transformed into the national flagship store for its hand-shaken lemon tea brand, introlemons. HARMAY had previously sought to acquire a coffee brand and may further expand into coffee chains in the future. As of now, HARMAY has eight stores nationwide and plans to expand to cities such as Xi'an and Wuhan. Whether this cross-industry move can bring long-term value to the brand remains to be tested by the market. [more…]