A Literal Hole in the Wall – Bear Claw Coffee Goes Viral on Chinese Social Media
On Yongkang Road (永康路) in Shanghai, you may see crowds in front of a grey wall with a hole in it. This grey wall is actually a coffee shop, and it is Shanghai’s newest “it” location that all the bloggers (and non bloggers!) are flocking to to 打卡 or “check in” and show they are part of the latest trend by taking photos and videos and sharing them on social media.
But how did this literal “hole in the wall” become so popular?
Fun and Mysterious
The cafe, Hinichijou, now nicknamed “bear claw coffee” initially gained popularity because it is fun and mysterious. The shop has an external grey wall made to look like stone. There are no windows and the door blends into the wall and is only meant for employees to enter and exit from. There is a hole in the middle of the wall, and below it is a mini program QR code that users must scan to access the menu and order drinks.
Consumers never see the employees’ faces. The only interaction they have with the employees is when the drink is ready, it will be served by a giant, furry bear claw that comes out of the hole in the wall.
Sometimes the claw interacts with customers by touching their heads or shaking hands with them. And many people line up and order drinks just so they can take a picture with this cute bear claw.
The Story Behind the Cafe
While the coffee shop’s cute bear claw is what made it first go viral, once the story behind the bear claw emerged, it became even more popular.
It turns out that the cafe is providing job opportunities for disabled people, who historically have a very hard time finding jobs in China. The baristas are hearing impaired, and went to a special trade school for the disabled where they won awards for their barista skills. The person serving customers coffee, the bear claw person, has burn scars on his face which make it difficult to find work.
Hinichijou’s founders are planning to open more locations and hire more disabled people.
With such a warm story and an important cause, many people are showing their support and going to Hinichijou to buy coffee, interact with the cute bear claw, and share its story.
Hope for the Disabled
According to the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, there are more than 85 million people living with disabilities in China, and despite discrimination laws, there is very little enforcement of the laws and lack of support for disabled communities.
As China’s economy continues to improve, hopefully people will begin to focus more on causes such as this. The outpouring of support for Bear Claw Coffee is only a drop in the bucket, but it is a good sign for the future.
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