Central Perk: From Hollywood set to Beijing
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Dream comes true
Central Perk had very few customers the first month. Du would be pleased if he sold one cup of coffee a day. After spending so much time on decorating his shop, he put little effort into publicizing it. But his fortunes changed on Labor Day.
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Pictures drawn by customers. [China.org.cn] |
It was a hot and quiet holiday. Du had gone out for more supplies. When he returned, he heard a buzz around the corner.
"I felt my heart beat so fast for the first time in my life," Du said.
It was a group of students from Peking University, standing at the door. One of them had visited before and talked with Du. He had written an article about the coffee shop and posted it to the campus bulletin. Soon after, word spread through online blogs and forums about "China's Central Perk."
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Du Xin's supermarket (L) and the coffee shop. Says Du: "The store is reality and Central Perk is a dream. There is only a wall between the two." [China.org.cn] |
Now Du is so busy that he hardly has time for improvements. Still, he knows his work is not finished. Next month, he plans to recruit a "Phoebe," one of the show's main characters who often performed self-composed guitar songs at the coffee shop. He is also unsatisfied with the orange sofa, the set's centerpiece.
"I'll never stop perfecting it," Du said. "I believe next March, when my café celebrates its first birthday, you'll see a different Central Perk. It will be a real home, just without a bed." Du funds his coffee shop through profits from his supermarket next door, which opened at the same time. In addition to in-person shopping, customers can order items by phone and have them delivered. Du also plans to open more stores in office buildings around the city.
"The store is reality and Central Perk is a dream," Du said. "There is only a wall between the two. A lot of people give up their dreams and say they must do something they don't like to make a living. Actually, dreams are not as difficult to realize as they seem."
"My dream is to create a room for (people) to open up and enjoy themselves without any masks," he said. "I hope it can be the fourth place where people feel safe, after their homes, schools and workplaces."
Central Perk is located in Chaowai SOHO at 6 Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Building A, Suite 0616. Those interested in becoming the next Phoebe must perform two songs from the show and an original song with a guitar.
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