Hole-in-the-wall café goes viral

A Shanghai coffee shop called Hinichijou has gone viral among netizens because of its quirky concept which involves an employee wearing a furry bear claw to serve customers through a hole in the wall.

Located on Yongkang Road, Hinichijou's shopfront is nothing more than a grey wall with a hole through which coffee is served. There are no seats nor tables. Customers simply scan a QR code hanging from the hole to place their orders.

The store is managed by three disabled individuals, including the deaf-mute manager who won the first prize in coffee brewing at the sixth National Professional Competition for the Disabled.

According to the café's cofounder Wang Haiqing, one of the reasons Hinichijou was founded was to provide more employment opportunities to disabled people.

Since beginning trial operations on Nov 15, the store has drawn hordes of customers and become one of the most searched items on short video sharing site Douyin. Hinichijou officially opened on Dec 3, which marked International Day of People With Disabilities. People with disabilities can receive a free cup of coffee at Hinichijou.

Video by He Qi / China Daily