Coffee sent out by 'bear claws' from hole-in-the-wall: Shanghai's trending beverage shop

A "bear claw" coffee shop that has become all the rage in Shanghai since its trial run, opened officially on Thursday (Dec. 3). It's a store with no shop sign, no windows, no doors, and you can't even see any staff. All you can see is a furry bear paw sticking out from a hole in the wall and handing out coffee, which attracts every consumer passing by.

By scanning a QR code hanging on the inconspicuous gray wall, customers can place a coffee order. Then a take-away cup will be handed out from the hole by a brown furry paw. The claws will be regularly disinfected, as indicated by the shop staff.

"Why can't we see the staff?" "Why does the person with 'bear claws' keep signing instead of speaking?"

Many consumers have questions like these. In fact, behind those silent bear claws hides a story that warms the hearts of countless customers and netizens as a hot cup of coffee does on a cold winter morning.

Named HINICHIJOU, the coffee shop employees are all disabled persons. The store manager and baristas are hearing-impaired people, while the person wearing the bear claw has suffered facial burns. The store opened for business on Thursday (Dec. 3) to coincide with the annual International Day of Persons With Disabilities. With a wide variety of coffee to choose from, customers just need to pay RMB 20 (US$3) for each cup of coffee.

The store manager, Ying Ying, is also a barista who has won a coffee-making competition. She expressed in sign language that she wants to draw people's attention to the hearing-impaired group and show that the people with disabilities can join the workforce and make coffee as well as normal people.

Owing to its novelty in operation mode and its charitable cause, the cafe has rapidly gained popularity among the city's coffee lovers and social media-savvy youngsters. Even on weekdays, the store is crowded with curious customers coming from afar.

According to the China Disabled Persons' Federation, there are more than 85 million people living with disabilities in the country. Despite the Chinese government's anti-discrimination policies, such individuals still face limited job opportunities and great inconvenience in life due to a lack of barrier-free public facilities.