Gen Z woman starts coffee joint in her own home

  • Need someone to talk to?
    Feeling down, anxious and need help? Mental Health Helpline: 6389-2222 (24 hours) More info

Char_Kuey

Supremacy Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2013
Messages
9,224
Reaction score
3,170
Doesn't look like gd for business even if low operating costs. Have to get there by car, not much parking space, need to be thick skin enough to ignore unhappy neighbours about cars blocking the road. Those taking public transport have no reason to not go their favourite places instead other than first time novelty.

Do take away business via grab delivery or food panda better, no need open house to public.
the parking issue going to exacerbate after this article liao
 

mynickname

High Supremacy Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
28,631
Reaction score
8,338
Now i know why so many ft in Singapore. This kind of thing they've been doing since 5, not 25


81zfEPrWpcL.jpg
 

popdod

Banned
Joined
May 8, 2001
Messages
167,147
Reaction score
34,179
Doesn't look like gd for business even if low operating costs. Have to get there by car, not much parking space, need to be thick skin enough to ignore unhappy neighbours about cars blocking the road. Those taking public transport have no reason to not go their favourite places instead other than first time novelty.

Do take away business via grab delivery or food panda better, no need open house to public.

she not doing it for money.
but
for experiences nia.

one day can earn how much only. :(
 

mynickname

High Supremacy Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
28,631
Reaction score
8,338
"There aren't any cafes nearby so it's not very convenient if you don't have a car," the 21-year-old said during a chat with AsiaOne.

Quite nice esp for residents who live near by.

I think this concept is limited in SG cos we are densely populated and there are hawker ctr/coffeeshops within near proximity everywhere.
But in places where there are many landed houses and limited dining options nearby, this concept will be very popular for residents nearby
I guess in countries like Australia for example shld be very popular
That's because all the people living there who want atas kopi already have their own 10k coffee machine....
 

focus1974

Greater Supremacy Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Messages
89,368
Reaction score
31,491
singapore becoming like a developing country.

In Malaysia, you actually can find home based zhichar business in landed area.

also same concept.... they cooked inside.. and you eat outside
 

mynickname

High Supremacy Member
Joined
May 11, 2012
Messages
28,631
Reaction score
8,338
singapore becoming like a developing country.

In Malaysia, you actually can find home based zhichar business in landed area.

also same concept.... they cooked inside.. and you eat outside
Where in malaysia is non-landed area hahaha
 

gnoes85

High Supremacy Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
35,395
Reaction score
6,053
Pity her parents need to put up with her daughter unreasonable behavior of uninviting strangers into their house.
 

JonWeak

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
May 28, 2021
Messages
16,132
Reaction score
6,675
how much money is enough? 10 years ago, lots of gap in the market. nowadays, all gaps are covered, if not, someone with more money will come and whack you.

basically, I think there's no chance to make good money from biz liao. if say freelance service, it's like working for a salary too, cannot scale up.
I'm not sure what industry but for media can scale up. You'll need lots of connections and working experience tho
 

snowblaze

Arch-Supremacy Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2006
Messages
15,907
Reaction score
6,952
Give up reading after I saw “Founder Sonia Lim runs it within her family's landed home in Upper Thomson.”

I hope AsiaOne come out with better news on future, instead of helping the rich do publicity. Perhaps one which is more relatable to common people like me.
 

Croiseur

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2018
Messages
846
Reaction score
516

'I don't see myself in a 9-to-5 job': Gen Z woman starts coffee joint in her own home​

011124_coffeenearme_sonia.jpg


Coffee Near Me is not exactly your average cafe.

Founder Sonia Lim runs it within her family's landed home in Upper Thomson.

Opened in February, this home-based business provides a cafe experience for its customers.


You walk through the entrance (or front gate, in this case), place your order and head to the seats and tables available at the front yard to enjoy your coffee.

Initially, they served coffee to the surrounding community only.

"There aren't any cafes nearby so it's not very convenient if you don't have a car," the 21-year-old said during a chat with AsiaOne.

At the time, all you had to do was drop her a text, come by and pick up your cup of coffee.

This had been going on for a few months until Coffee Near Me started going viral on social media.

301024_coffeenearme1_sonia.jpg


Thanks to a few TikTok clips, what was once a coffee business for a neighbourhood became a home-based cafe open to the public.

"I felt there was potential and I wanted people to know more about this space," Sonia said before cheekily noting that the decision to open to a wider customer base might make her a few extra bucks too.

But this transition brought with it more challenges.

While the number of customers grew, there was no change to the operational processes.

Sonia recalled: "It became more stressful because I was [still] the only one that's preparing the drinks."

The first two weeks after Coffee Near Me opened to the public, her cousin came over to offer a helping hand.

Apart from churning out orders, there was also the issue of crowd control.

Having neighbours over for a cuppa is one thing but welcoming a bunch of strangers into your home is a whole new ball game.

"The tricky part is that I have very limited tables and chairs," Sonia said.

Coffee Near Me was not fully prepared for the influx of customers so, at times, they would hang around, queuing or waiting for an empty seat.

People wanted to experience what they saw in those social media videos — a place to chill with friends over drinks and small bites.

The business was allowed to continue, though Sonia had to make minor adjustments, one of which was to remove the Coffee Near Me signage at the premises.

URA's home-based business scheme prohibits such businesses from putting up advertisements, signages or posters at residential premises.

This entire episode was a bittersweet experience for Sonia.

While she admitted to feeling annoyed initially, she has since seen the incident in a different light.

"Oh wow, it's like 'I made it'!" she giggled.

301024_coffeenearme_sonia.jpg


Caffeine lovers have options aplenty, whether it is an Americano ($3.50), Cafe Latte ($4.50) or Spanish Latte ($5).

According to Sonia, a favourite among her customers is the Matcha Latte ($5).

Given the scorching weather during my visit, I opted for an Iced Cafe Latte ($5) and was pleased with my pick.

When asked what makes a good cup of coffee, she excitedly replied: "Well balanced, not too milky but not too acidic either."

Fans of Coffee Near Me would also be aware of its secret menu, visible only on its socials, with drinks like Hojicha Einspanner and Cream Top Latte.

If you're feeling peckish, there are bakes available too. Prepared in-house, the menu changes weekly and customers can expect menu items from Tomato Focaccia to Earl Grey Madeline.

Unconventional route​

Sonia mentioned how tricky and unpredictable customer footfall can be.

And as if right on cue during our interview, she had to step away to attend to a customer’s order.

“You see what I mean when I say there might be nobody but suddenly I'll have [customers]!” she said.

Sonia was energetic in the kitchen, whether it's brewing beans, preparing milk, or whisking matcha powder.

As I observed from the side, it did look like she was (for the lack of a better phrase) right at home.

Having a desk-bound job wasn't appealing to her.

"I don't see myself in a 9-to-5 job," she explained.

Given Coffee Near Me's positive start, Sonia may not need to consider office jobs at all.

She is open to the idea of barista-entrepreneur being her full-time profession.

Sonia added: "I would want to [eventually] have my own space. But I'm looking more towards [a stall in a] kopitiam."

High rental cost and the competitiveness of Singapore's cafe scene were reasons why she is less keen on running a standalone cafe.

Coffee Near Me's competitive pricing vis-a-vis its cafe counterparts is something she took into consideration too.

And according to Sonia, moving into a kopitiam would likely allow for prices to be kept low.

After the chat about the business's future, she noted that there isn't a specific timeline for it to move out of her home.

For now, Coffee Near Me is set to stay put at Casuarina Walk.

https://www.asiaone.com/lifestyle/i...-home?utm_medium=Hardwarezone&utm_source=EDMW
Wa, coz got landed home. Imagine doing this in high rise HDB 😂
 

Mephist0pheLes

Supremacy Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Messages
8,424
Reaction score
6,599
landed. this type dont work for life also no problem one, but open cafe so every night can feel shiok thinking she is an entrepreneur that make it in life thru her own effort.
 

skylink67

Banned
Joined
Apr 23, 2011
Messages
14,011
Reaction score
7,051
Dun like to work 9-5 office but she work F&B is ok? Dun know how it is easier since she is starting her own business. 6 day work-week is common in F&B.
 
Important Forum Advisory Note
This forum is moderated by volunteer moderators who will react only to members' feedback on posts. Moderators are not employees or representatives of HWZ. Forum members and moderators are responsible for their own posts.

Please refer to our Community Guidelines and Standards, Terms of Service and Member T&Cs for more information.
Top