Sparkice Shanghai Internet Cafe Launch 2000

15:00 Randy shows his face and says a few words
18:00 Randy cuts the cake - with the cheezy internet cafe logo

In 1999 Beijing Sparkice was competing head to head with a little known company Alibaba from Hangzhou. In 1995 Sparkice launched the first internet cafe in Beijing and in 2000 – its first in Shanghai.

The Shanghai iCafe was more stylish than its Beijing counterparts, in order to be more appealing to women (a growing segment of the online market), and to fit more the different vibe of Shanghai. It was located in Shanghai Central Plaza, a small retail complex nearby the new Xintiandi development (not yet launched at that point).

The cafe had a funky external video wall facing guests walking towards it, a number of colourful iMacs, a coffee station (featuring Arabica Roasters coffee) that preceded the arrival of Starbucks to town. It was cozy, accessible, stylish.

But because of considerable infighting within the parent company in Beijing - it did not last long.

Видео Sparkice Shanghai Internet Cafe Launch 2000 канала Randal Eastman