Chun Shui Tang Founding Store Renaming Project

By / Brand Marketing Department

Published in / August 2014, 1st Issue of “Chunshuier”

Many people may be curious why Chun Shui Tang, after thirty years in business, would undertake this “Founding Store Illumination Project”?

You and your doubts have been heard. To address this, on behalf of “Chunshuier”, the Chun Shui Tang team conducted an interview with Mandy (hereinafter referred to as “M”), the manager overseeing the execution of the project. Through her insights, everyone can gain a better understanding of the reasons behind this initiative, and how the team intends to interpret the significance of the founding store.

Q: Can you tell us when this project kicked off?

M: In the previous issue of “Chunshuier”, James Liu, the chief strategist, highlighted the importance of Chun Shui Tang's goal to become a century-old enterprise. He emphasized “the significance of conducting foundational work at the thirty-year mark of our development to reflect on our origins and chart our future path”. This foundational work translated into two key tasks for the team: “Chun Shui Philosophy” and “Returning to the Basics”. Completing these undertakings is essential for guiding Chun Shui Tang toward its vision of becoming a century-old enterprise.

The “Chun Shui Philosophy” encompasses a learning manual and the establishment of a training center known as Chun Shui Academy, overseen by Managing Director, Angela Liu. The first step of “Returning to the Basics” involves renaming the Siwei Street Founding Store and affirming its historical significance as the birthplace of the world’s first bubble tea.

Coincidentally, in 2012, as Chun Shui embarked on its revival journey, a bubble tea (pearl milk tea) craze swept through Germany in Europe. Around the same time, in November, Avian Liu, a writer known for his keen observations of Taiwanese life and culture, published an article in the United Daily News titled “Return to the Glory of Bubble Tea”. In the article, he observed, “Passing by Chun Shui Tang on Siwei Street in Taichung, the bleakness around is astonishing. Clearly, it is the earliest birthplace, yet there are no traces of the nurturing of bubble tea...” These observations underscored the urgency of transforming the Siwei Street Founding Store into the recognized birthplace of bubble tea worldwide.

Q: How did this project unfold?

M: In reality, when we contemplated the concept of establishing the “World's Birthplace of Bubble Tea”, we initially entertained grander ambitions. However, the challenges we faced were akin to constructing Taipei 101 (laughs). Therefore, we decided to start with the most fundamental yet pivotal task: “Positioning The Founding Store”.

The term founding here extends beyond just a physical presence; it also encompasses the inception of the first cup of foam black tea and the inaugural cup of bubble tea, both originating from our initial establishment on Siwei Street. It's fair to say that the influence of the cold drink tea blending culture, which has resonated worldwide, stems from this very store and street! By setting out once again from the birthplace and moving forward, we aim to integrate with regional cultural and economic aspects to develop a comprehensive and sustainable long-term plan. This approach will allow the culture of bubble tea to take root and flourish organically, ultimately fulfilling the overarching goal of this project.

In July 2013, we organized an event titled “Back To Chun Shui Tang: Homecoming of Former Employees” at the Siwei Store, aiming to reunite as many former employees from the first Chun Shui Tang store as possible. This gathering provided us with the opportunity to reconnect with individuals who played pivotal roles in the early days of Chun Shui Tang. Among the attendees were not only the founder, several vice presidents, and senior store managers, as well as employees at our central kitchen, but also Ms. Wang, Yu-Feng who had previously served as the president of the Taichung Chapter of the Chinese Art of Tea Union. This “homecoming” event had a crucial impact on the direction of the later plan. Furthermore, in March of this year, the “Avian Liu and Chun Shui Tang's Bubble Tea Journey” event took place. Led by Avian Liu, this journey commenced at the Siwei Store and ventured into the old downtown area. Along the way, participants discovered the profound connection between the flavors of cultural nostalgia and community sentiment, highlighting the pivotal role of the founding store within this hub of pop culture and economy.

During this period, the planner, Xiao Bao, invited old customers and former store managers from the Siwei Store, documenting their views and recollections on Chun Shui Tang's founding store, and also visited the DRF Goodot Village several times to understand the cultural context of the old downtown area.

After meticulously sorting and organizing all the gathered clues, we presented the initial version of the “Chun Shui Tang Founding Store Illumination Project” in late April.

Q: Some people have mentioned there was a plan to recreate the store's original appearance. Why was this not done later?

M: During the initial stages of conceptualizing the appearance of the founding store, we did contemplate recreating it in a manner that aligns with popular expectations. This involved the prospect of demolishing much of the current ground floor structure and meticulously restoring it to its original appearance from thirty years ago. This renovation would include hanging a birdcage at the entrance and displaying aged, yellowed photos from that era inside the store. The goal was to transport visitors to the founding store back to the ambiance of the 1980s Yangxian Tea Shop, satisfying their desire to relive the past. This concept represented our initial idea for “retro spatial recreation”.

However, the Siwei Store has undergone three major renovations, with each period evoking fond memories for different people. If we were to recreate it, which period should we choose to provide enough solace to nostalgic customers? Moreover, a comprehensive recreation would also affect product supply and service processes, with a wide-ranging impact. Therefore, after discussions and communication among operations, engineering, and other relevant units, the team decided, after careful consideration, to abandon the idea of recreating the store's appearance.

Later, upon reevaluation and through Xiao Bao's keen engagements with store managers and customers, we came to realize that the true essence of connecting Chun Shui Tang with everyone is “cultural resonance” rather than merely the physical “space” in terms of appearance. We discovered that, regardless of how many renovations are undertaken and how the exterior changes, as long as the emotional connection between people remains strong, that's the primary reason why people are deeply attached to this store.

Just like during the “Homecoming” gathering of former employees, what truly matters isn't whether every pillar remains original, but rather whether the familiar faces standing before them remain unchanged.

If we were to recreate the founding store, our emphasis wouldn't be solely on duplicating the physical surroundings. Rather, our priority would be to capture the emotional resonance intertwined with tea and the meaningful connections among people.

Q: How was the founding store subsequently interpreted?

M: The objective of the “Chun Shui Tang Founding Store Illumination Project” is twofold: firstly, to solidify its position as the birthplace of bubble tea worldwide, and secondly, to uphold Chun Shui Tang's original entrepreneurial vision.

The founding store on Siwei Street has two floors: the ground floor is Chun Shui Tang, presenting innovative cold drinks and the birthplace of bubble tea, while the basement is Mu Xi Tang, maintaining the tradition of brewing tea in a teapot and warming human emotions. If the Siwei Store is likened to a native Camellia sinesis (tea tree), with Chun Shui Tang constantly branching out to the world, then Mu Xi Tang is the root of this tea tree. The tea culture that has evolved over five thousand years is the foundation of Chun Shui Tang.

The redesigned founding store interprets these two themes:

(1) Employing the concept of curation to design the culture of bubble tea

Every culture continually intersects with others, creating dynamic exchanges and transformations. Cold drinks epitomize this intersection, blending old products with new ideas and merging contrasting temperatures. Bubble tea, in particular, embodies this fusion, combining tapioca pearls with milk tea to create a harmonious blend of Eastern and Western culinary traditions. Despite their apparent differences, these two culinary streams coexist and thrive through the creative interpretations of Taiwanese people, imbuing new vitality into traditional Taiwanese tea culture. Drawing inspiration from bubble tea, we must embrace a mindset of openness towards diverse cultures. In an era where both knowledge and aesthetics hold economic significance, the allure of old brands to customers lies not in their heritage alone, but rather in their ability to adapt traditions to suit contemporary tastes. Therefore, one can say that the true essence lies in continuous innovation and breakthroughs.

To capture the imagination of the new generation, we collaborated with young illustrators to narrate the story of bubble tea in a retro style reminiscent of “Teng Yu”. This approach aims to attract young readers and ignite their curiosity. Furthermore, our DIY bubble tea shaking area engages customers in the language of the new generation, showcasing the innovative spirit inherent in cold drinks and bubble tea.

We envision this vintage shop from the 1980s as a hub where the younger generation can express cultural messages using contemporary methods like social media posting, stamps, or postcards, so as to convey cultural messages.

(2) Preserving traditional tea culture through narrative textual accounts

In the basement of Mu Xi Tang lies the heart of Chun Shui Tang's enduring tea culture. Positioned in front of the store manager's office, the table serves as a gathering spot frequented by the CEO, who is renowned for his expertise in tea. Esteemed tea aficionados are drawn here, eager to engage in spirited debates or seek enlightenment about tea. Regardless of the purpose, these encounters foster camaraderie, earning the table the affectionate moniker of the “Consultation Table”.  

Nowadays, this place is still where the CEO often frequents when he returns. The Yixing clay teapots and small Zhuni teapots used for tea debates over the years are still here, as if thirty years have passed in an instant.

We've meticulously maintained the nostalgic charm of Mu Xi Tang, keeping intact its teapot ambiance and the sentimental resonance of times past. Through the power of narratives, we seek to evoke the rich tapestry of history and culture within each area.

Q: During the promotion process, what was the most resonating moment for you?

M: I think every step forward has been deeply moving (laughs), but if I had to choose one moment, I'd say the most poignant experience for me, Chun-Ming, and Xiao-Bao was on July 22, when we witnessed the installation of the stone plaque proclaiming “World’s Birthplace of Bubble Tea” at the entrance of our inaugural store. Witnessing the transformation from humble beginnings to this significant milestone was truly sentimental. It filled us with excitement and marked the start of sharing Chun Shui Tang's founding store's story with a broader audience, nurturing the legacy of bubble tea.

Q: Do you have any final words for Chunshuiers?

M: The Starbucks located at the Pike Place Market in Seattle's Public Market Center is where Starbucks fans must make a pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. People who have visited will notice that there are two Starbucks there, one of them being the original store, which is small and inconspicuous, and the other being a replica store. Both feature the original brown Siren logo.

After renaming the Chun Shui Tang Siwei Store to the Chun Shui Tang Founding Store and the World’s Birthplace of Bubble Tea, we hope to transform it into a vibrant hub to celebrate tea culture. Whether it's traditional or modern tea culture, we want it to be showcased here. We hope that Chun Shui Tang fans and bubble tea enthusiasts from around the world will want to come here for pilgrimage. Through small-scale curation inside the store, visitors can learn about the origin history and stories of Chun Shui Tang.

Certainly, this journey also demands unwavering dedication to both tea and community, embodying our genuine passion, emotional depth, and innovative culinary spirit. By staying true to our roots and embracing Taiwan's beliefs and values, we can authentically connect with people and draw them into our world.

Perhaps one day, we will completely recreate the appearance of the Siwei Store from 1983 within the “Bubble Tea Museum”.