Coffee shops perk up sleepy rural places

Persuasive proposals

According to Shen, early last year, a group of college students proposed building a cafe in cooperation with the village. Their diligent research and innovative plan set them apart from all other competitors.

"They became more familiar with the topography and geomorphology of various locations near the mine in just a few days, far quicker than I did. What's more, their detailed proposal was persuasive and compelling," Shen said.

To further promote rural vitalization, villages in Anji have widely implemented a model called "Two investments and three returns", in which residents and the village collectively invest capital and resources, and in return they earn rent, wages and dividends from operations managed by cooperating companies or entrepreneurial teams.

Dark Blue X is a prime example. The village collective holds a 49 percent stake, while the project operators hold 51 percent. Within just one year, the cafe has attracted about 300,000 visitors, bringing in revenue of more than 10 million yuan ($1.3 million).

"Catering to the consumption habits of today's young people, we have retained some original buildings in the mining area and made some modifications. The scenery here is our main attraction," Gu said.

She added that the cafe has not only attracted a growing number of tourists but also lured aspiring young employees. Dark Blue X has set up an arts center as a platform for exhibiting and selling works, which has prompted more than 50 design graduates to join in.

"Here, I can balance my life and ideas," said Cheng Xiao, a graduate in fashion design, who joined in June.

In addition to making coffee, Cheng runs his own secondhand clothes studio in the art center, and is responsible for the design and the bazaar-style project.

"While gaining work experience, I can also create, think about what I want to do in the future and prepare for it," he said.