7-Eleven for lunch, Mercedes for dinner, HMV for tea? In Hong Kong, chains branch out
From the ubiquitous convenience store to discount grocers 759, fashion’s Vivienne Westwood and carmaker Mercedes-Benz, businesses are moving into dining to chase the lifestyle dollar
Going to a 7-Eleven is not usually a memorable experience. The chain has made a name for itself by being as faceless as it is ubiquitous. No matter where in the world you are, if you step inside a 7-Eleven, you can expect the same experience.
Not any more. A new 7-Eleven in the Lippo Centre in Hong Kong’s Admiralty business district boasts wood-panelled walls and an alfresco dining area under lush vegetation. Opened in January, this is 7-Eleven’s first concept store/cafe, and it is a complete departure from the cheap vibe the brand is known for. The 1,400 sq ft cafe has a noodle bar where customers can order a soup with udon, ramen, rice noodles or Korean glass noodles, and a choice of more than 20 toppings including onsen egg, Vietnamese sausage roll, Japanese-style barbecue pork and Korean kimchi. A bowl of noodles with three toppings costs about HK$60.
While more than 170 7-Elevens in the city have sold coffee for the past five years, the Lippo Centre store has two baristas making fresh-brewed coffees ranging from HK$22 to HK$30 a cup. Among the other surprises on offer are truffle rice rolls (HK$25) and milk ice-cream with coffee (HK$35).
The convenience store isn’t the only company to have ventured into dining. Grocery store chain 759 has branched out into wonton noodle restaurants, bakeries and Chinese restaurants. And following the opening of its first cafe, in an upmarket mall in Shanghai in April 2015, fashion chain Vivienne Westwood opened a cafe in Hong Kong - adjacent to its store in the Ocean Terminal mall, in Tsim Sha Tsui – in October 2015. The cafe serves afternoon tea, drinks and pastries with an English flavour, such as strawberry truffle cake and carrot cake.
Emma Chan, marketing and communications manager for Vivienne Westwood Hong Kong, says the move was planned five years ago. “We hope our customers can feel the creativity of Vivienne Westwood in another form,” she says.
