Huaihua in Hunan Province quickly went viral on social media thanks to the sincere service of hairstylist Xiaohua, attracting over 200,000 visits in total, with more than 60 specialty shops already set up locally, and the culture and tourism authorities also rolling out supporting perks such as free admission to scenic spots. Amid this wave of traffic-driven dividends, a woman from Guizhou who had originally planned to get a haircut from Xiaohua queued for several days in a row but failed to get a reservation number, so she simply set up a temporary coffee stand beside her self-driving car, serving passersby pour-over coffee and reaching daily sales of around 700 yuan. This impromptu entrepreneurial move sparked heated discussion among netizens, with some praising her creativity and drive, and others questioning whether it was an elaborately planned marketing stunt. [more…]

Recently, the coffee brand WHATEVER COFFEE, founded by actor Daniel Wu, opened its first physical store on Dongda Road in Chengdu, sparking a wave of social media check-ins. This shop-in-shop, sharing space with a barbershop, features a minimalist black, white, and gray aesthetic. Its menu focuses on classic coffees and simple flavored drinks, priced between 20 and 34 yuan. The brand logo, a mask hand-drawn by Daniel Wu, symbolizes shedding pretense and returning to authenticity. In fact, the brand entered the coffee market as early as last June. Now, with the Chengdu store serving as a test outlet, a second independent location is already being scouted. Celebrities opening coffee shops is nothing new—from JJ Lin to Jay Chou—but behind the built-in traffic, whether the products and services themselves can withstand market scrutiny remains a topic worth watching. [more…]