“Oto Café” or “Bus Café” with its unique space has become an attractive venue for those who like creativeness, especially students.
“Bus café” was built from an old 48-seat bus at in the parking lot of Coopmart, a super market, in Ha Dong District. The 25- square-metre café has a seating capacity of 30. To turn the bus into this rendezvous for young people, the owner disassembled the bus’s engine and converted the cabin into a mini bar for blending drinks. Some small wooden tables and chairs were placed inside the bus and simple handmade articles, such as pottery statues, books and flower vases made from bottles are used to decorate the space.
“Bus Café” has been opened for a short time but welcomes a large number of customers daily, mainly during the evening. To further promote this model, targeting at students, young people and foreigners, another two-storey café using a 45 seat bus is open at the Vietnam’s Agriculture Exhibition Centre on Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Hanoi. The owner of these cafés hopes that in the future these kind of cafés will be found near Hoan Kiem Lake and in the old quarter of Hanoi to serve foreigners.
This model of café developed strongly in the UK, Japan and some European countries because of its advantages, such as being less expensive and flexible in moving to other places.
By VNP’s Golden Moment Photography Club
Thanks to a special design, customers feel very comfortable with the inside space of the café. Photo: Thong Thien
Enjoying coffee on a bus gives an interesting experience to young people. Photo: Thong Thien
Glasses and dishes are washed right at the cabin. Photo: Thong Thien
Another Bus cafe is set inside the Vietnam Agricultural Exhibition Centre (Hoang Quoc Viet Street, Cau Giay District) with seats on the rooftop. Photo: Tran Thanh Giang
The back of the bus is a reading corner with a lot of good book for young readers. Photo: Cong Dat
Bus café is decorated with ordinary objects such as wooden tables and tools, wine bottles used as flower holders and some ceramic statues. Photo: Cong Dat
With a total area of 25m2, Bus café can board about 30 people with the cabin used as a mini bar for beverage preparation and washing. Photo: Cong Dat
Small spare parts of the bus are kept in tact. Photo: Cong Dat
Most of the drinks are sold for 15,000-20,000 VND at the bus café. Photo: Cong Dat
The bus café attracts mainly students and young people. Photo: Cong Dat
Tourists are curious about this model of bus café.
The first bus café was placed in the parking lot of Coopmart in Hanoi. Photo: Cong Dat
Simple wooden tables and chairs inside the café give a cozy atmosphere. Photo: Cong Dat
Glass of coffee printed with bus images. Photo: Tran Thanh Giang
Outside, the café is painted red and decorated with logos and bonsai pots. Photo: cong Dat
Enjoying coffee and beholding the streets through the bus’ glass windows. Photo: Tran Thanh Giang