We’re a nation of savvy consumers, but some things just don’t translate as well in online shopping. Shoes, for one, are a risky online purchase to many; it goes without saying that coffee beans can seem a little bizarre as an online-only product too. Hence the move by specialty coffee e-tailer Cafebond.com to go offline and open their first brick-and-mortar store in Singapore.
Located in Millenia Walk, The Bean Shop is Singapore’s first specialty coffee bean-only retail store. The selection mirrors what you can find online at Cafebond.com—freshly roasted coffee beans from over 20 top cafes and roasters around the world, including cafes in Melbourne, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur. Basically, you now have a place where you can peruse and handle coffee beans from around the world, before putting your money down to bring them home.
Celebrating its one-year anniversary in operation, Cafebond.com was first started in 2016, after its Singaporean founders were inspired by stellar coffee on a trip to Melbourne. The platform today partners with top cafes and roasteries globally, and consolidates orders on a weekly basis with coffee lovers in each city the site services—namely Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan. Patrons can sign up for coffee subscription programs, and even coffee delivery programs for office pantries.
For loyal customers of the site, an added click-and-collect service at The Bean Shop lets you buy coffee beans online and pick up your order at the store, free-of-charge. The handy downtown location means you can save on shipping costs (and likely spend more on beans). In addition, the new store will sell a curated selection of coffee brewing equipment and accessories, so it’s not limited to just coffee connoisseurs. It might be time to put your Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf beans aside.
The Bean Shop is located at Millenia Walk, #01-52, and is open daily from 11am-8pm.
