Young people in first-tier cities are quietly shifting their attention to small, uneventful counties that were once seen as uneventful. During the Spring Festival, the returning migrant workers suddenly found that the small county town in their hometown had undergone earth-shaking changes. The once quiet town is now home to popular brands, and the city's lifestyle such as takeaway and delivery is increasingly becoming a part of the county's daily life. The quality of life of young people in the county has improved significantly, and they are not only satisfied with frugality, but also enjoy rich and diverse consumption pleasures.
Modern chain restaurant brands and emerging consumption trends have extended to the county market, and convenient facilities such as takeaway services, taxis, and online shopping, which were originally only in the metropolis, have now taken root and grown in small counties. While the young people in the city are still sharing money-saving tips with each other and discussing consumption downgrades, the young people in the county reinterpret the connotation of "having money and leisure" with their unique life philosophy. Thanks to the lower cost of living and less work pressure, they feel more secure and happy in life, and are more willing to give generously and enjoy the joy of spending.
The rapid development of the county economy has brought new opportunities, and it is no longer a simple place of comfort, but a new world for the development of cost-effective entrepreneurial models, which has aroused widespread concern in society. Among them, there is a young man named Li Zhaolin, who returned to Feng County, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province in 2020 and founded a café with the support of his parents. However, by capturing the "traffic password", Li Zhaolin's performance soared in this small county café, and its daily turnover exceeded 10,000 yuan, even compared with some independent cafes in first-tier cities, its business performance is not inferior.
In the face of competitive pressure from low-cost coffee chains and the imitation of his peers, Li Zhaolin appeared calm. Every morning, before the café opens, he hears a continuous sound from the printer, indicating that another "burst" day is coming. He skillfully changed the printer paper, and order receipts fell like snowflakes, piling up on the bar. The orders came from fans all over the country, who called Li Zhaolin "Brother Dog" on social media and left warm words of encouragement and support on the orders.
Li Zhaolin filmed the whole process of making coffee, packaging and shipping into a vlog and shared it on social platforms to respond to the enthusiastic expectations of fans. Day after day, new orders poured in, and he was constantly making coffee, packing, shooting, and editing videos, forming a cyclical work routine. Behind this is a stable turnover of more than 10,000 yuan per day and even 50,000 yuan on holidays.
Recalling his original intention of opening the store, Lee chose a different path from most of his peers when he graduated from university. He's tired of the rules-bound group life and reluctant to embark on a 9-to-5 career life. Despite his parents' strong opposition, he resolutely chose to start his own business. Among the many options, Li Zhaolin finally chose to open a café because he saw that coffee culture was becoming more and more popular among young people, and there was a lack of independent cafes with personality in the county. Although he didn't have high hopes at the beginning, he received financial support from his parents and used his creativity to create a space like no other.
Located in the courtyard of a slightly remote architectural firm, Lee Chiu-lam's café has a chic courtyard and a unique design that makes the store stand out from the crowd. The initial business was not ideal, the coffee culture in the county was not yet popular, and there were few customers. However, everything took a turn for the worse when Lee took over and started shooting short videos documenting the café's operations.
With the increasing attention on the short video platform, Li Zhaolin innovatively launched the "canned coffee", which uses cans for vacuum packaging and cold chain distribution to solve the problem of remote mailing of coffee. This initiative instantly attracted a large number of "cloud shareholders", which led to a blowout growth in online orders, and the turnover jumped to an average of 20,000 or 30,000 yuan per day. The café's success is not accidental, Lee has a keen eye for the emotional needs of his fans, and he sells not only coffee, but also a unique atmosphere and service experience, as well as the emotional connection with fans.
Despite the low-price competition from large coffee chains, Li Zhaolin has always adhered to his business philosophy and refused to join the takeaway platform, believing that his coffee contains a well-crafted atmosphere, personalized service and the emotional value of fans, which cannot be conveyed through the form of takeaway. Because of this, the unique charm of Qifeng Cafe has always kept it ahead of the fierce market competition.
Li Zhaolin's story proves that a small county town can also create miracles, and his café has moved from the county seat to the city, and even plans to open a second branch in Changsha. However, he knows that his success story cannot be easily replicated, and for those who also have the same dream of opening a café in the county, he recommends that there should be a clear development strategy and think about how to break through geographical limitations and achieve a real breakthrough. In the commercial exploration of thousands of small counties, Qifeng Cafe is undoubtedly a wonderful exception, and its rise and prosperity are like a fresh breeze blowing through the traditional county economic map, bringing exciting changes and enlightenment.