Read More《“投资50万，一年仍未盈利”，第一批日咖夜酒开始关店?》
Positive Reviews: “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” was an Active Exploration of Scenario Innovation, Providing a Practical Sample of Composite Business Formats for the Industry
The emergence of the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model is, in essence, an active exploration by entrepreneurs of “maximizing space value” against the backdrop of consumption upgrading. Its initial popularity was not accidental.
Firstly, it accurately captures the lifestyle needs of young people for “Coffee in the Morning, Alcohol in the Evening” (Early C, Late A). The scenario switch between “using coffee to boost energy during the day and relaxing with a glass of wine at night” aligns with the dual daily rhythms of contemporary young people – work and socializing. This “one – stop” model that meets two needs quickly became a “net celebrity label” with the help of social platforms, attracting a large number of consumers who pursue new experiences. For example, the topic of “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” on Xiaohongshu has been viewed 140 million times, and on Douyin, it has been exposed nearly 300 million times, which is sufficient to illustrate its spread among the young population. For consumers, this model offers a new option for “light socializing” – they can work quietly or have a casual chat during the day and enjoy a drink to relax at night, reducing the time and energy costs of cross – scenario consumption.
Secondly, it provides a way out of the “intense competition” in the coffee industry. In recent years, the competition in the coffee market has become extremely fierce. The density of coffee shops in first – tier cities has exceeded “3 per 10,000 people”, and it has become much more difficult to make a profit solely from coffee. The “Coffee + Wine” composite business format of the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model extends the business hours (from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.) and improves the space utilization rate (covering two consumption scenarios in the same place), theoretically increasing the revenue ceiling of a single store. For small and medium – sized entrepreneurs, the logic of “earning two incomes from one rent” is very attractive, which is why even chain brands like Starbucks and Seesaw have tried to enter this field – they hope to find incremental space in the existing competition through scenario innovation.
Finally, it promotes the “functional reconstruction” of offline spaces. The concept of the “third space” in traditional coffee shops has become increasingly homogeneous. The emergence of the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model has forced practitioners to re – think the relationship between space and consumption behavior. For example, some stores have tried to achieve a seamless switch between the “day – coffee” and “night – wine” scenarios through adjustable lighting and modular furniture. This design innovation provides a reference sample of “flexible space” for the industry. Although most stores have not succeeded, this in – depth exploration of “space value” is in itself a meaningful exploration of offline commerce.
Negative Reviews: The Underlying Contradictions of the Model were Underestimated, and the “Complexity Trap” of Dual – Category Operation was the Main Reason for Store Closures
However, from the “phenomenal popularity” to the “wave of store closures”, the decline of the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model has exposed multiple inherent flaws. The core problem is that “the ideal is full, but the reality is skinny”.
Firstly, the scenario conflicts between coffee and bars are difficult to reconcile, resulting in a fragmented consumer experience. Coffee consumption emphasizes a “relaxed feeling” and requires bright warm lighting, comfortable seats, and a quiet environment; while bar consumption pursues an “immersive feeling”, relying on dim lighting, social dynamics, and emotional release. Their space requirements are almost as opposite as “day and night”. For example, in Chen Lin’s store in Chongqing, because it was a coffee shop during the day and a bar at night, night – time customers felt that “the space was too familiar and lacked a sense of freshness”. The owner of SISILI Cafe Bar in Zhejiang also mentioned that “the sense of transparency during the day destroyed the night – time atmosphere”. This scenario conflict makes it difficult for consumers to form a stable perception of the store – coffee lovers think that “a place that sells alcohol is not professional”, and bar customers feel that “the coffee shop during the day is too ordinary”, ultimately failing to please either group.
Secondly, the “complexity” of dual – category operation far exceeds expectations, and small and medium – sized entrepreneurs find it difficult to handle. The “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model is by no means a simple combination of “coffee + wine”, but a comprehensive challenge to the supply chain, staff skills, and inventory management. For example, coffee requires fresh beans and stable extraction techniques, while alcoholic beverages need professional bartenders and a rich inventory of base spirits. The peak customer flow occurs in the morning and afternoon during the day and after 8 p.m. at night, which places higher requirements on staff scheduling (to cover the peak periods of both time slots). In addition, the shelf lives of coffee and alcohol vary greatly (coffee beans need to be protected from light and moisture, and base spirits need to be stored at low temperatures), and the difficulty of inventory management has increased exponentially. As a store owner who closed their business sighed, “Running two categories means taking on ten times the worry.” Many entrepreneurs underestimated this complexity, leading to cost overruns. Chen Lin’s store in Chongqing was forced to close because “as soon as they woke up every day, there were rent and labor costs to worry about”. The repeated adjustments of lighting and decoration at Cerberus in Guangzhou with no improvement are also essentially manifestations of insufficient operational capabilities.
Thirdly, the “pseudo – demand” amplified by traffic is difficult to support long – term repeat purchases. The initial popularity of the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model highly depends on the “check – in economy” on social platforms, but most consumers come out of curiosity rather than for “real needs”. A store owner revealed that “at the peak, they received more than 100 customers at night, but now they usually have less than 20 customers per day”. The reason is that “shutter customers” leave after taking photos, and the repeat purchase rate is extremely low. Consumers’ real feedback is even more direct: “Going once to post on the 朋友圈 is enough. With such a high unit price, who would go every day?” This characteristic of “one – time business” makes it difficult for stores to establish a stable customer base. When the novelty on social platforms fades, the traffic quickly disappears, and the “regular customers” who are truly willing to pay for coffee or alcohol choose other stores because the products are not professional enough (the coffee is not of high – end quality, and the alcoholic beverages lack features).
Fourthly, the lack of a “demonstration effect” from benchmark brands in the industry has increased the risk of trial – and – error for small and medium – sized players. Currently, no large – scale brand has emerged in the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” market. The attempts of leading chains mostly remain at the “concept store” or “regional pilot” stage (for example, Starbucks’ “coffee + special cocktails” are only being tested in some cities), and there is a lack of a replicable successful model. Small and medium – sized entrepreneurs have to grope their way forward, making decisions on space design and product combination based on experience, resulting in a very high probability of making mistakes. For example, the failure of SISILI Cafe Bar in Zhejiang due to “too many products lacking highlights” is essentially a lack of reference to the “single – category focus” strategy of mature brands. The superficial adjustment directions (changing tables and chairs, adding plants) at Cerberus in Guangzhou are also because there are no benchmark cases to guide its “core logic of scenarios”.
Suggestions for Entrepreneurs: The “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” Model Needs to “Separate the False from the True” and Shift from a “Traffic – Driven Model” to a “Demand – Driven Model”
The “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model is not a “false proposition”, but rather requires a more rational business logic. Based on the current market feedback, entrepreneurs can optimize in the following directions:
Clarify the Core Positioning and Avoid Greedily Trying to Please Everyone
Abandon the fantasy of “simultaneously pleasing coffee drinkers and bar – goers” and choose one core category as the “foundation”. For example, focus on high – end coffee as the core and use alcoholic beverages as a “supplementary scenario” (such as only offering low – alcohol special cocktails to weaken the bar attribute); or focus on evening alcoholic beverages and use coffee to fill the off – peak hours during the day (such as emphasizing the concept of “a gentle buzz” and using coffee as a “hangover companion”). The lesson from SISILI Cafe Bar in Zhejiang, which failed due to “too many products drowning out the highlights”, shows that focusing on coffee makes it easier to build consumer recognition.Reconstruct the Space Design to Achieve a “Seamless Scenario Switch”
Space is the core competitiveness of the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model, and the contradiction between “day and night” needs to be resolved through design. Try a “modular” design: for example, use adjustable lighting (warm light during the day and dim light at night), movable furniture (desks during the day and bars at night), and changeable background walls (artistic paintings during the day and wine label decorations at night). The experience of a successful “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” store in Hangzhou is: “During the day, use rattan chairs and wooden tables to create a relaxed atmosphere, and at night, replace them with high – stools and metal bars, allowing customers to clearly feel the change in the scenario while maintaining the brand’s unified visual symbols (such as the store sign and main color scheme).”Focus on Core Products and Replace “Comprehensiveness” with “Professionalism”
At least one of the coffee and alcoholic beverage categories should be “irreplaceable in the region”. Coffee can focus on single – origin beans and hand – brewed special cocktails; alcoholic beverages can feature “city – exclusive” options (such as creative cocktails made with local fruits). The failure of Chen Lin’s store in Chongqing was partly due to “both coffee and alcohol following a high – end route but lacking memorable features”. In contrast, a “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” store in Chengdu attracted a stable customer base by “only selling Yunnan Arabica coffee and local greengage wine”, relying on “regional characteristics”.Differentiate between “Traffic – Driven Demand” and “Real Demand” and Establish a Repeat – Purchase System
The “check – in traffic” on social platforms can be used as a customer – acquisition method, but it needs to be converted into “real consumers” through a membership system and community operation. For example, launch “Early C, Late A packages” (discounted combinations of coffee and alcoholic beverages), “weekly cards” (allowing multiple visits within a week), and “themed events” (such as coffee sharing sessions on Wednesdays and gentle – buzz salons on Saturdays) to increase user stickiness. A “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” store in Shanghai increased its repeat – purchase rate by 40% by implementing a “community reservation system” (only users in the community can book night – time seats), converting “check – in customers” into “social customers”.Improve Operational Capabilities and Establish a “High – Efficiency Dual – Category Management” System
Dual – category operation requires refined management of the supply chain, human resources, and inventory. In terms of the supply chain, cooperate with local suppliers (such as using local coffee roasters for coffee and local craft breweries for alcoholic beverages) to reduce logistics costs. In terms of human resources, train employees to be “multi – skilled” (baristas can do simple bartending, and bartenders understand coffee knowledge). In terms of inventory, use a digital system to monitor the sales data of coffee and alcohol and dynamically adjust the purchase volume (for example, optimize the inventory based on the pattern of high coffee sales on weekdays and high alcohol sales on weekends).
The wave of store closures in the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” industry is, in essence, a reshuffle by the market of “blind following”. It is not that “the model is dead”, but rather that entrepreneurs need to shift from being “traffic – driven” to being “demand – driven”, re – define the value of “Early C, Late A” with more professional products, more precise scenarios, and more efficient operations. For entrepreneurs who truly understand consumer needs and have operational capabilities, the “Coffee by Day, Wine by Night” model is still an “incremental market” worthy of in – depth development.
- Startup Commentary”My dad was scammed out of 300,000 yuan buying fake antiques, and the platform compensated me with a 300-yuan voucher.”
- China Uncovered”Continuation of the Wanderings in the West”
- Startup Commentary”Invested 500,000 but Still Not Profitable After One Year: Are the First Batch of “Daytime Coffee, Nighttime Alcohol” Stores Closing?”
- Startup Commentary”Earning 1.45 billion annually, can Fan Bingbing make a comeback with this business?”
- Chain Exploration”10 Questions for xStocks: What Exactly Are We Trading When Trading US Stock Tokens?”
