The empress of Shanghai’s craft beer scene opens deluxe venue

While some companies seek out social media influencers or advertising agencies to promote their products, Zhang simply relied on a photocopy machine that foreigners often used to make copies of their documents that were needed for their registration at the nearby police station.

"I've never done any sort of advertising before. At the beginning, Beer Lady only became popular through word of mouth. Foreigners who used the copy machine were stunned to see a supermarket with so much beer. They'd then tell their friends about it," she says.

The turning point in the business came in 2015 when local lifestyle portal Smart Shanghai paid a visit to Beer Lady. Zhang said that business skyrocketed after the article was published.

Before long, Zhang was transformed from a humble grocery shop owner into a prolific businesswoman. She has also become somewhat of an ambassador, having met with the officials from the British and Belgium consulates through beer-related events. These days, Zhang is so famous that she hardly needs to seek out beer exporters or distributors-they come looking for her. Property developers have also approached her on many occasions to inquire if she would consider setting up shop on their premises.

Zhang isn't quite done with expanding her beer empire, though. She reveals to China Daily that there will be a sixth Beer Lady opening in September.

Located in Songjiang district, the sixth outlet will occupy 4,000 square meters of space that will include a guesthouse, a beer museum and a special section dedicated to champagnes and wines from around the world. The establishment will also have a 300-sqm kitchen that will serve a variety of Chinese and Western dishes, including barbequed meats. She's also throwing Russian ice cream into the mix.

"This new Beer Lady will be all about educating visitors about beer culture and offering an integrated approach that includes food and beverage and tourism," she says.

"I'm confident that this market will become even bigger in the next five to eight years."

When asked about her drive behind such massive projects, Zhang flashes a sheepish smile.

"I've always loved drinking alcohol. This is why I've managed to turn this into such a successful business. If you want to do something big, you definitely need to know your product and love it," she says.

"Honestly, sometimes I feel that the beer is talking to me, telling me how to go about running this business," she adds.

"I guess you can say that craft beer is like my lover, my soul."

He Qi contributed to this story.