Do you remember the Bear claw café (HINICHIJOU) that touched the hearts of everyone in Shanghai last year? The hearing-impaired baristas have now emerged from behind the hole in the wall, and are meeting customers in person.

The café was opened in 2020 on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. One year later, it opened a flagship store in a shopping mall near Jing’an Temple. And, at this new store, baristas no longer deliver coffee from the hole in the wall.

(The flagship store of HINICHIJOU in Jing’an)

“In an open environment, I can see the expressions of the customers, whether they recognize my coffee-making ability, whether it tastes good or not. I can see intuitively through their expressions, so as to improve my motivation and morality at work,” said Yingying who is responsible for training hearing-impaired staff. “My colleagues are willing to face customers bravely and communicate with them. Before, they were shy and scared,” she added.

In the store, there is a sign telling people how to recognize the hearing-impaired employees. Staff wearing a hat with white ears are hearing-impaired.