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In Xiaopu Village, Xiaopu Town, Changxing County, Zhejiang Province, there is an Internet celebrity coffee shop that is widely loved by three generations of old, middle-aged and young people.
This is a coffee shop opened by Ni Cheng, a young man who returned to his hometown after the "90s". "The village is earthy, the coffee is foreign, why is the coffee shop in the village so popular?" Not long ago, with curiosity, the reporter walked into this coffee shop.
"Youth Home" selected by the Youth League and County Committee
The coffee shop is located in Badujie, Xiaopu Town, known as the "Ancient Ginkgo Corridor in China". When I first met Ni Cheng, this freshly dressed "post-90s" young man was preparing for the upcoming "pro-youth love" exchange activities, "This event is organized by the Changxing County Party Committee, and we provide a venue for more than 100 people to participate."
This is not the first time that a coffee shop has hosted a youth event. "This is not only a small coffee shop, but also the 'youth home' position of the Youth League Changxing County Party Committee. Ni Cheng introduced that the coffee shop has undertaken 2 special courses, organized 1 theme group day activity, and 5 "Xingfu Youth" theme volunteer service activities.
Image source: Changxing Communist Youth League (ID: cxtxw54) "pro-youth love" dating activity
"At the beginning of the establishment of the store, I had the idea of making this place a position or base for youth education practice. In October 2023, the head of the Youth League, the Xing County Party Committee, contacted Ni Cheng and proposed to give a themed group class to the members in a coffee shop, which coincided with Ni Cheng's idea.
With the support of the Xing County Party Committee, the head of the League, the ideological education position of the youth league members was quickly implemented. Nowadays, the store can not only make coffee, but also organize intra-group activities, and Ni Cheng also has a deeper understanding and thinking about assisting in youth activities.
"On the one hand, we want to attract young people to come to check in and carry out activities through the distinctive retro style, and realize the flexible and spontaneous dissemination of the theoretical knowledge of the regiment through the internal furnishings and entertainment; on the other hand, we want to continue to undertake the winter and summer vacation practice of colleges and universities, the off-campus activities of the Young Pioneers, and the salon of young entrepreneurs. In Ni Cheng's view, coffee shops, as a "home for youth", can play a greater role in uniting and serving young people.
It's not just coffee that's sold
Inside the house, in addition to the West Lake brand radio in the 70s of the 20th century, the table on the side is also placed on the familiar "copper plate machine" and saxophone of the "post-80s", even the "post-90s" and "post-00s" can also find the childhood memories of "Nanjing plate duck" and "fig" in the old-style cabinets.
"Don't look at the surrounding environment now, it has a sense of atmosphere, in fact, the road at the door was basically potholed at the beginning, and the surrounding infrastructure conditions were particularly poor. Ni Cheng told reporters.
"This 380-square-meter site was previously an abandoned factory. By chance, Ni Cheng found here.
Image source: A corner of the "Youth Home" café of the Changxing Communist Youth League (ID: cxtxw54).
After graduating from university in 2016, Ni Cheng chose to stay in Huzhou City, and after several tosses, until 2022, he decided to return to his hometown and wanted to really stabilize in Changxing County.
As an old carpenter's father, it is difficult to understand Ni Cheng's choice and decision. "He felt that he had finally trained me and sent me to study abroad, so I should find a better job. Ni Cheng said.
"In recent years, Changxing County has developed better and better, making good use of the rich rural cultural and tourism resources, even if you return to your hometown, you can gain a sense of value. Ni Cheng finally convinced his father.
"In my opinion, the possibilities of such a large venue are endless, and I wanted to use my professional background in environmental art to create a diverse space suitable for all ages. ”
Image source: Communist Youth League News Network (ID: gqviewpoint) in-store exhibition wall
"The layout, the location, the positioning, everything was well under plan. "On September 28, 2023, Ni Cheng's coffee shop opened its doors. "It's a space that carries memories for generations, and it's not out of place for any generation to come to the café. To create a different kind of café, "where coffee will become an accessory".
"It's not uncommon for guests to stand in front of this wall and stop and discuss. Ni Cheng pointed to the TV exhibition wall at the door, "The exhibition wall is composed of 120 TVs of different brands, all of which we drove to the northern thrift market to pick them up."
It's not just young people who are "fans".
Open the social platform and search for Ni Cheng's coffee shop, there are many related tweets, and some bloggers put it in one of the "must-check-in" points.
"Not only are there young people in the store now, but there are also a lot of elderly people who come here. Ni Cheng told reporters that not long ago, there was a Shanghai grandfather who rode a bicycle and came from a nearby homestay to check in.
When it first opened, what Ni Cheng didn't expect was that the first people to come to the coffee shop were middle-aged and elderly people.
At that time, the surrounding villagers noticed the slogan painted on the wall at the door, thinking that this was a supply and marketing cooperative, and brought their old items to ask if they would recycle. Although it was a bit unexpected, due to his early entrepreneurial experience, Ni Cheng keenly captured the different needs and potential consumer groups.
"As a café for different age groups, we need to keep young people and old people. In the face of these "old customers" attracted by old things, the café opened its doors to welcome, "We not only recycle, but also take the initiative to make them a free cup of coffee and make a pot of tea as a reward."
Image source: Communist Youth League News Network (ID: gqviewpoint) The activity area outside the coffee shop
"Gradually, everyone realized that the environment here was different from other cafes, and that it was acceptable to older people. From time to time, everyone would come and sit and chat and play cards together. Ni Cheng said.
In response to the needs of this group, baristas have further adjusted the beverage categories, "We have added coffee-free cereal drinks to the actual situation of middle-aged and elderly consumer groups, adding pumpkin, white fungus and sesame seeds."
Some time ago, the coffee shop welcomed another group of special guests. "They are retired employees of Xiaopu Forest Farm, and when they walked out of the forest farm, they heard that a foreign café had opened in the village and wanted to come back. Wu Kailin, a partner of Ni Cheng, believes that Xiaopu Town carries the common memories of several generations, and it makes special sense to open a country café here, "People who come here drink coffee and talk about the countryside."
How to survive in the village café is still the primary issue. In the midst of coffee, Ni Cheng's goal is becoming clearer, "In the future, we will continue to refine our operation strategy, explore more consumption scenarios, and further activate the vitality of rural cafes as much as possible."
Rural Youth Magazine
Source: "China Youth Daily" (2024-04-24 03 edition), China Youth Daily, China Youth Network Intern Bian Liangxu Reporter Surrounding Final Review: Lin Yuhong Reviewer: Yang Ming Liu Zhuying Editor: Liu Shuchen