Starbucks has opened a new store in Urumqi, Xinjiang, combining coffee with local culture, traditional music and dance.
Coffee, traditional music and dance are coming together at a new Starbucks store in Urumqi, the capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The Starbucks Intangible Cultural Heritage Flagship Store, known as “Star Bazaar,” opened on Sept. 29th at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar. It is one of two Starbucks stores that opened in Xinjiang on the same day.
For tourists, the store offers more than coffee.
Shanghai tourist Du Yishen visited the store while travelling in Xinjiang. She ordered a drink inspired by the blue of Sayram Lake and bought a doll dressed in traditional Xinjiang Atlas silk clothing.
“I came to Xinjiang for a trip. When I heard that the first Starbucks store here had opened, I came to check it out,” Du told China News Service.
The store has drawn long queues since its opening. During a visit, customers waited outside while store manager Ma Ying offered free samples of drinks.
Ma has worked for Starbucks for eight years. She previously worked in Xining, Qinghai Province, while her parents lived in Xinjiang.
When she learned that Starbucks was opening stores in Xinjiang, she applied to join the local team. Now, she is back in Xinjiang and has more time to spend with her parents while continuing her career in coffee.
“I feel very happy,” Ma said.
The store has more than 20 employees. Some, like Ma, have returned to Xinjiang after working elsewhere. Others came from different parts of China to gain experience in Xinjiang. The store also hired local employees.
Meanwhile, the store has brought local intangible cultural heritage into the customer experience.
Starbucks worked with a representative inheritor of Xinjiang’s Muqam art to create an immersive performance called “Dancing Bazaar.” Customers are invited to join the music and dance instead of simply watching from their seats.
“Dancing in a coffee shop is a unique experience that Xinjiang brings to everyone,” said Alimjan Yimijiang, a store employee.
The store’s design also draws on local culture. It features elements inspired by traditional bazaars, including Atlas silk and ethnic musical instruments.
Starbucks has also introduced Xinjiang-inspired food and drinks at its local stores. They include salty milk tea with a milk-skin flavour, nut baklava, nut bahali and a lamb-filled crispy pastry.
The store has attracted visitors as well as attention on Chinese social media. A video of the “Dancing Bazaar” performance was shared on Douyin, where one user joked that after watching the show, the coffee almost felt like a bonus.
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