This cluster of residential buildings represents various historical periods, including the Ming, Qing, Republican, and modern eras. The Wudian Market in Jinjiang has a long history since becoming a tourist attraction, where not only the protective development of ancient buildings has set a precedent and a template, but more than 100 historical buildings, such as unique Minnan-style residences, ancestral temples, clan shrines, official residences, and yamens, also serve as a rich cultural heritage.
Starbucks, which understands architecture, chose to open its shop in the newly renovated Liuqing Mansion on Zhaoyuan Street. It is an old red brick house with a traditional southern Chinese courtyard design. The foundation is made of bricks and stones, while the beams and pillars are made of solid wood. The doors and windows are also made of wood, with even the door latches being old-fashioned wooden bolts. The intricate mortise and tenon structures atop the pillars support the eaves, which are decorated with various wooden carvings and greenstone plaques. There are also narrow stone pillars resembling those of a traditional Shikumen-style gate. Once inside the gate, one steps into a semi-open venue surrounded by a courtyard with a vacant center and seats on all sides. The formerly disparate buildings are thus ingeniously connected, and the space is infused with the aroma of coffee.
Starbucks coffee is familiar everywhere, with the same taste in every store. However, sipping a cup here is a uniquely different experience. Perhaps it's the unfamiliar environment, the freshness of the ancient building, or the sense of history that comes with an old house that imbues a simple cup of coffee with the flavor of the time.