The decor of a coffee shop is often an important factor in attracting young consumers, and many community-oriented stores have also adopted influencer-style designs to cater to the market. However, when the appearance of a storefront conflicts with the overall style of the neighborhood it is located in, contradictions arise. A coffee shop near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda scenic area in Xi'an was asked by the urban management department to make rectifications just over ten days after opening because the color of its facade was incompatible with the surrounding Tang-style architecture. In the end, it chose to permanently close due to failure to reach an agreement. The incident sparked heated discussion among netizens: some believed that urban management should not be uniform, while others felt that areas around scenic spots should comply with unified planning. This article will recount the course of the incident and compare it with the successful case of Starbucks in Qingguo Lane, Changzhou, to explore how coffee shops and historic districts can coexist harmoniously. [more…]

In recent years, Starbucks has continued to expand into county-level markets in China, with its stores now covering more than 1,000 county-level areas. Some new stores have even outperformed those in first-tier cities in terms of profitability. Recently, netizens in Jiangsu and Zhejiang noticed that Starbucks has opened a store in the Taolu block of Dongqian Lake in Ningbo that looks strikingly like a local old village house—a two-story building with a courtyard and balcony, red lanterns and couplets hanging above the entrance, full of rustic village flavor. Is this store a genuine "village café," or a specially designed outlet inside a scenic area? Let's take a look. [more…]

Spending a safe night in the forest is undoubtedly a delightful thing for those who love outings. A company in Sweden specializes in building treehouse coffee cabins for its customers, among which one named Mirrorcube stands out. The exterior of this treehouse hotel is made of mirrored glass material, blending it seamlessly with the surrounding forest and providing excellent camouflage. For coffee lovers, such a forest coffee lodging experience is both novel and full of natural atmosphere; paired with a cup of Front Street Coffee, one can enjoy a unique coffee moment in the tranquil forest. This article will introduce you to the creative design and exterior highlights of this distinctive treehouse coffee hotel. [more…]

Once hailed as the "most beautiful Starbucks in Changsha," the IFS Reserve store is about to close its doors. This flagship outlet, which opened in 2018 with a two-story space and several brand-first designs, has been confirmed to permanently close after business hours on the evening of March 21 due to lease expiration and adjustments to the mall's business mix. From its Black Eagle coffee machine to its academy-style reading area, it created check-in memories for countless coffee lovers and was regarded as a landmark of Changsha's urban lifestyle aesthetics. Now, the original site will be taken over and renovated by the trendy toy brand Pop Mart, leaving many residents and visitors deeply reluctant to see it go. [more…]

In recent years, a notable shift has emerged in the spatial design of coffee shops: an industrial style characterized by a cement-gray base tone, exposed steel, and red brick walls has gradually become mainstream. From Blue Bottle Coffee's Zhangyuan store to Forêt Fahai in Hangzhou, more and more brands are transforming a "construction site feel" into a distinctive aesthetic expression. Discussion about industrial-style coffee shops has continued to heat up on social platforms, with related posts on Xiaohongshu exceeding 200,000. Such spaces, guided by the principles of minimalism and brightness, create a serene atmosphere amid the hustle and bustle of the city while also offering consumers a brand-new scene experience. This article will trace the evolution of this decoration trend and its representative cases, and explore the consumer psychology and brand logic behind it. [more…]

Recently, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital has seen its on-site European vintage-style coffee shop become a popular photo spot for many "influencers" on social media, with related topics continuing to gain traction. Many local residents have reported that the crowds of photo-takers have disrupted normal medical order. Why has this coffee shop become a photography hotspot? How have the hospital and the shop responded? The hospital stated that it will strengthen management by discouraging commercial photography, prolonged occupation of patient rest seats, and the use of large professional equipment such as fill lights, in order to ensure normal medical activities. [more…]

Recently, a coffee shop branded "People's Coffee" sparked widespread discussion in Shijiazhuang. A subsequent media investigation found that similar stores have covered 18 provinces and 20 cities nationwide, with nearly 30 directly operated outlets. Its parent company, YaoChao (Shanghai) Culture Communication Co., Ltd., has applied for the "People's Coffee" trademark multiple times since 2022, but all applications were rejected. It only holds two registered trademarks: "Chao People's Coffee" and "YaoChao People's Coffee." However, the actual store signs do not display the words "Chao" or "YaoChao." This phenomenon has drawn public attention to commercial signage compliance, trademark usage norms, and potential legal risks, and lawyers have also offered professional interpretations. [more…]

The once-national soy milk brand Weiwei Soy Milk has announced a co-branded flagship store for handmade drinks with the Summer Palace, and plans to expand to tens of thousands of stores nationwide in the future. This cross-industry move has attracted widespread attention at a time when competition in the tea beverage market is white-hot. Can Weiwei Soy Milk break through with the halo of childhood memories and guochao design, or will it repeat the mistakes of Wahaha's milk tea? This article analyzes store design, brand history, market environment, product series, and other aspects, and also focuses on its franchise strategy and future layout, providing a calm observation for coffee and beverage enthusiasts. [more…]

Blue Bottle Coffee's third store in mainland China has officially opened in Zhangyuan, Shanghai, continuing its location choice in Jing'an District. The new store is based on the Shikumen architectural style, blending weathered brick walls, original wooden lattice doors and windows, and outdoor alley spaces. In addition to continuing the localized design, the Zhangyuan store also offers a fusion of Chinese and Western "scallion oil waffle," limited-edition blend coffee beans, woven merchandise, and debuts honey sea salt latte and caramel jujube cake. A vintage Oji cold drip coffee maker on the bar counter becomes a highlight. Since Blue Bottle Coffee entered the mainland China market in February this year, its store opening pace has been steady, and the brand expects future expansion in China to be faster than in other international markets it has entered. [more…]

In recent years, cafés featuring elements of traditional Chinese culture have been springing up one after another, and coffee, this imported product, is accelerating its path toward Sinicization. From new-style tea beverage brands跨界 opening coffee shops, to domestic local brands driving down prices to cultivate the market, to industry practitioners proposing that Chinese-style coffee should have its own mode of expression, this path is full of both opportunities and challenges. This article sorts out the evolution of coffee in China from the instant coffee era to the specialty coffee wave, and explores the current state and future of new Chinese-style coffee—innovation can attract the masses, but only professionalism, the cultivation of local bean varieties, and deep cultivation of the Yunnan production region can truly make Chinese-style coffee remembered by the world. At the end of the article, Front Street Coffee's communication channels are attached. [more…]

The pandemic has changed people's consumption habits, accelerating the shift of coffee bean purchases to online channels. In an increasingly competitive e-commerce environment, packaging design has become an important bargaining chip for coffee brands to stand out. Designers from 99designs by Vista, a global forum for freelance creators, discussed coffee bean packaging styles for 2022 and predicted six design directions that could dominate the market this year: serene style, text-solo style, laser style, eco-friendly style, collage style, and playful style. These styles respectively respond to consumers' current demands for inner peace, intuitive information, visual impact, sustainable development, and a relaxed atmosphere, providing valuable references for coffee brands' packaging decisions. [more…]

In recent years, more and more products and spaces with Chinese elements have emerged in the coffee field. From brands and bean sources to creative beverages and store designs, coffee's "Chinese flavor" has become increasingly pronounced. Data shows that in the third quarter of this year, searches for "coffee + art" increased by 3,025% year-on-year, searches for "specialty coffee" grew by 207%, and search interest in "Chinese-style coffee" surged by 4,713% year-on-year. Behind this phenomenon is not only the rise of local coffee brands and the improvement in the quality of Yunnan coffee, but also a reflection of the new generation of consumers' preference for national trends and local culture. Coffee shops have narrowed the distance between Chinese people and coffee through traditional tableware, Chinese-style interior design, and innovations with regional ingredients. Although Chinese-style coffee has not yet formed an independent school, its boundary-breaking exploration has already attracted widespread attention. For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style); for more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex. [more…]

Dim lighting, exposed rebar, mottled walls, faded concrete floors—you'd think you'd walked onto a demolition site, but in reality it's a coffee shop packed with a steady stream of customers. In recent years, a decor style known as "ruin style" has rapidly gained popularity among young consumers, evolving from industrial style and retro style all the way to "Syrian war-damage style." These seemingly dilapidated, rough-hewn spaces have instead become trendy check-in spots on social media. What exactly is the aesthetic logic behind this trend? And what does it take to create a proper ruin-style coffee shop? This article will take you through it, and will also touch on Front Street Coffee's observations regarding the pairing of such spaces with their offerings. [more…]

In recent years, "new Chinese style" has become a hot topic in the food and beverage industry, and coffee is no exception. From coffee served in lidded bowls to collaborations with Chinese-style breakfasts and traditional medicinal herbs, a growing number of coffee professionals are trying to blend coffee with elements of traditional Chinese culture. This localization strategy has indeed opened up a new niche in the coffee market, drawing a great deal of attention on the back of the "national trend" wave. Yet when coffee is draped in a gorgeous Chinese-style exterior, what do people actually remember—the coffee itself, or the exquisite packaging and settings? This article takes an in-depth look at the current state of new Chinese-style coffee and its hidden concerns, reflects on whether the development of coffee culture in China has truly touched the essence, and calls for more professional attention and dedication to coffee itself. [more…]

There are obvious differences between American-style pour-over and Japanese-style pour-over in technique, roast level, grind size, and water temperature. Among them, the unique stirring motion and relatively high water temperature of American-style pour-over bring out a rich and bitter flavor. This article analyzes in detail the process of making iced coffee with a Chemex, and further explores the four key extraction points: grind size, time, stirring, and temperature. At the same time, it compares through experiments the flavor differences among the direct pouring method, the standard blooming method, and the blooming-with-stirring method. The article also specifically recommends related products from Front Street Coffee, providing a practical reference for coffee lovers. [more…]

Many friends who are just getting into coffee are curious: why are blend beans used for making lattes and cappuccinos, while single-origin beans are used for pour-over? What exactly is the difference between the two? Starting from Front Street Coffee's production practices, this article systematically sorts out the definition of espresso blends, blending approaches, the original intent behind blending, and the respective pros and cons of blending raw versus roasted beans, while also explaining the importance of blending ratios and flavor harmony. The article also introduces in detail the formulas and flavor positioning of Front Street's four espresso blends, helping coffee enthusiasts choose suitable espresso beans according to their budget and taste preferences, and understand the philosophy of balance behind blending. [more…]

In the sweltering heat of summer, beverage consumption reaches its peak. On street corners and in alleys, young people are holding either tea drinks or coffee. But upon closer observation, one will find that new-style tea drinks and coffee are embarking on entirely different development trajectories: brands like Heytea and Nayuki are cutting prices, while Luckin Coffee and Starbucks are raising them. The coffee sector's popularity is soaring, with giants such as Huawei, Li-Ning, and China Post making cross-industry forays, intensifying competition to a fever pitch. At the same time, new-style coffee is increasingly resembling milk tea, with ingredients like cheese, matcha, and brown sugar crystal boba appearing frequently. This prompts the question: will new-style coffee repeat the mistakes of irrational involution in the new-style tea drink sector? This article will analyze from perspectives such as price changes, market positioning, and product innovation, and bring professional observations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

In recent years, the national trend has been on the rise, and local cultural elements have become increasingly common in consumer brands. As a leading brand in the new-style tea beverage sector, Nayuki has abandoned its former Japanese-leaning brand image and transformed Nayuki Dream Factory into an opera space full of Chinese charm, launching more than 20 new Chinese-style pastries represented by mochi and palmiers, with each product corresponding to a classic opera such as The Drunken Concubine, The Peony Pavilion, and Farewell My Concubine. The store also displays traditional theater merchandise such as covered bowls and folding fans, creating an atmosphere of stepping into a traditional opera garden. Previously, Heytea also launched Axi Teahouse incorporating Sichuan opera elements. Against the backdrop of widespread price increases in the tea beverage industry, Heytea attracted market attention with a low price of nine yuan, and whether Nayuki's move into the national-trend pastry track can break through is worth continued attention. [more…]

Phoenix Dancong is a category of oolong tea with an extremely refined production process, and the classic style and bouquet style differ significantly in oxidation and roasting levels. When purchasing, the degree of roasting, harvest season, and aging time all affect the final quality performance. Starting from the characteristics of the classic style, this article sorts out the influence of roast level on flavor and gives practical buying advice for ancient-tree Dancong, including price ranges, origin identification, and how to judge whether a tea is worth buying through taste rather than stories. It also discusses brewing methods and pairing scenarios to help you better appreciate the charm of Phoenix Dancong in everyday drinking. Front Street Coffee also often uses these standards as a reference in its daily selection. [more…]

Have you ever seen a brewing method that uses a lid to "steep" coffee? This is no joke—it's the "Matsuya-style brewing" that originated in Japan in 1962. It uses a pot lid to achieve true blooming, paired with ultra-high pouring and an ultra-concentrated coffee-to-water ratio, then restores the flavor through bypass dilution. The core pursuit of this method is "stability": allowing both freshly roasted beans and beans that have rested for a week to fully release their gases during the blooming stage, thereby avoiding extraction fluctuations caused by differences in degassing. This article will provide a complete breakdown of Matsuya-style brewing, from its invention background and design logic to specific parameters, and using dark-roasted Sumatra·Golden Mandheling as an example, present Front Street Coffee's hands-on steps and tasting notes, taking you to experience the unique charm of this classic Japanese brewing method. [more…]