E-commerce brand Hook Coffee gets physical with first cafe, expands workshops

THE pandemic has driven brick-and-mortar businesses online, but it also drove e-commerce brand Hook Coffee to seek an offline space. Conscious that consumers would be raring to leave home once Covid-19 restrictions eased, it opened its first permanent Coffee Bar in Food Folks @ Lau Pa Sat on Mar 21.

Such a cafe had been requested by long-time customers who wanted to try the brand's specialty roasts as prepared by trained baristas. But before the pandemic, an offline store had never been part of Hook Coffee’s plans.

“Pre-Covid, the physical cafe space was very crowded. In fact, it still is,” said chief executive Wayne Lai.