Introduction:The StayReal Cafe in Guangzhou’s Tianhuan Plaza is set to close due to the expiration of its lease, prompting fans to line up to bid farewell. This celebrity coffee shop, founded by Mayday’s Ashin and Awei, saw great fanfare when its first store in southern China opened in 2016. Its current departure due to commercial considerations highlights the challenges faced by celebrity dining brands. This article takes you through the brand’s journey, analyzes the reasons for closure, and offers final suggestions for fans to visit and enjoy its offerings.

Recently, the StayReal Cafe in Guangzhou’s Tianhuan Plaza has seen long queues, with the venue fully occupied and orders flowing nonstop. However, this is not due to a new store promotion, but rather the brand’s final days in Guangzhou as it chooses not to renew its lease. The StayReal clothing store in the mall closed the day before, while the coffee shop will operate until October 27.

From its grand opening in 2016, when world-renowned coffee master Lin Dongyuan was invited and hundreds of fans camped overnight, to its current phased closures due to lease expirations, the journey of StayReal Cafe reflects the dilemma celebrity dining brands face between fan economy and the mass market. Some netizens pointed out that if the Guangzhou Tianhuan store closes, the brand may be left with only one café location in Shanghai.

The coffee shop, named stayreal cafe, has recently seen long lines at its entrance, with constant foot traffic and ongoing orders. Passersby unaware of the situation wondered if it was a new store promotion, but in fact, customers were coming to say goodbye, savoring their last cups of coffee in the countdown to closure and cherishing the memories.

Since the closure announcement, the store has been almost fully booked, with a surge in order volume. Customers have captured photos of staff organizing receipts in the back kitchen, prompting netizens to joke that “the staff are facing a nightmare pre-closure period.”

StayReal is a fashion brand co-founded in 2007 by Mayday’s Ashin and well-known Taiwanese artist Awei, primarily dealing in apparel and accessories. It later expanded into the food and beverage industry by launching the chain coffee brand “stayreal cafe.”

On May 7, 2016, stayreal cafe and the stayreal clothing store opened simultaneously in Guangzhou’s Tianhuan Plaza. In addition to releasing limited-edition merchandise, the opening day also featured appearances by brand manager Awei and world-class coffee master Lin Dongyuan, adding prestige to the southern China flagship store and attracting hundreds of fans who camped overnight to shop.

According to official sources, stayreal cafe once had locations in Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and other cities, serving as pilgrimage and photo spots for many Mayday fans. However, due to lease expirations, some branches have gradually closed in certain areas.

The Guangzhou Tianhuan store is also closing due to lease expiration, with the brand deciding not to renew and thus withdraw. Notably, the brand’s fashion store in the same Tianhuan Plaza closed the night before, drawing crowds of fans for last-minute shopping. The coffee shop will remain open until October 27. Some netizens say that if the Guangzhou Tianhuan store closes, stayreal cafe may only have one remaining branch in Shanghai.

Fans have generally expressed reluctance and regret over the closure of their favorite fashion brand and coffee shop. Many have left comments on the brand’s official social media platforms, hoping the brand will consider reopening in Guangzhou or other cities to preserve a piece of memorabilia for fans.

However, some consumers are not surprised by the decision not to renew the lease. Long-time followers of the brand note that early StayReal products were stylish and innovative, appealing not only to Mayday fans but also to trend-conscious young consumers.

Yet in recent years, the brand’s operations have become more fan-oriented, coupled with relatively high pricing for apparel, accessories, drinks, and meals, leading to a gradual narrowing of its target customer base. StayReal has increasingly become a brand supported mainly by fans for check-ins, with a noticeable decline in the proportion of non-fan customers.

In addition, third-party review platforms have received numerous negative feedbacks about stayreal cafe, concerning food prices, product quality, and service attitudes. Some customers bluntly stated that unless they were Mayday fans, they might visit only once and never return.

In truth, consumers understand the purpose behind celebrity-owned businesses, and many are happy to support their idols’ ventures, creating a situation where “one is willing to fight and the other is willing to suffer.” But star power isn’t a panacea. When a store’s products and services fail to meet customer expectations, it will ultimately be weeded out by market competition, closing amid the reluctance of fans.

Looking back at the development trajectory of stayreal cafe—from its grand opening to its current farewell—not only marks the life cycle of a coffee shop, but also reflects the brand’s challenge in balancing commercial operations with fan expectations.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.