We are no longer surprised by the lengthy queues outside J.CO stores. Locals and foreigners love the sweet savouries served by their famous ‘orange team’. We see similar queues even outside the archipelago. The doughnut chain has successfully expanded across Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and now, Hong Kong. J.CO is where people pamper themselves with delightful doughnuts and fresh brewed coffee between the hours of work and play.
The bustling Hennessy Road in Hong Kong was the first to welcome J.CO. The café is situated on the ground floor of trendy Burlington Hotel, with direct access from pedestrian way. J.CO consistently breathes a friendly atmosphere. This particular location offers a special décor with an ‘industrial theme’ in conjunction with their original brown, monochromatic interior. This theme does not only blend in with Hong Kong’s fast-pace modernity but it is also spatially efficient.
The use of the industrial theme first appears on the shopfront which consists of black steel and glass windows. The J.CO light box stands out on the façade along with a brown horizontal line to balance the view. The floor-to-ceiling window is skilfully positioned for bystanders to view chic interior almost immediately.
While most of the J.CO stores in Indonesia contain large sofas, architect Yanto Effendi of MODERNSPACE twists the usual décor with ottomans, armless single-seaters and bar stools to maximise the space. The warm ambiance is brought by the earthy toned interior with dark coloured panels. The floor-to-ceiling window provides natural light from the outside. The architect has covered it with glass film to reduce heat while the guest can still enjoy the city view. At night, the café has direct lights that fill out the room with warm white light.
The café sits in a 110-sqm area that is divided equally between the service and the dining area. There is an L-shape counter that connects the kitchen and the café area. One side of the counter serves refreshments of J.Cool frozen yogurt while the other side provides selection of beverages and displays the famous doughnuts. Both tourists and locals in Hong Kong drop by this café in the morning for breakfast and refreshments during the day. Enjoy these savouries when you visit!