What would your expectations be going into a cafe?
In recent memory, I’ve come across plenty who’d sit there for hours on end, eyes glued to their laptops. For them, their answer would probably be power plugs and WiFi.
You won’t, however, find any of those in Chris and Jook Yie’s CurioDark.
“Our focus is on creating an atmosphere where people can truly enjoy their coffee and engage in conversations with friends, rather than using the space as a workstation,” said the latter.
The only catch is, if that sounds appealing to you, you’re gonna have to look for it first.
A perfect blend
Beyond waiting tables when they were younger, neither founder of the Curio brand actually had any experience in F&B.
Chris was a marketing major and was heavily involved in the automotive industry, working with big names such as Volkswagen and Land Rover.
Jook Yie, meanwhile, was a Chinese copywriter. She worked with advertising agencies for over 25 years and runs an advertising company called Between Lines, still in operation today on a project-to-project basis.
Her recent works include the ever famous Petronas ads, forever remembered by my generation for their emotional gut punches.
How the two ended up opening their first cafe, then, was through their shared passion for coffee.
As hobbyists, the pair attended roasting and brewing courses every now and then with Chris also teaching himself how to do latte art.
When they found themselves quitting their multi-decade-long careers to create something of their own, it was only natural that it just had to be coffee related.
“The tenancy agreement for our first outlet, Curio Coffee Roaster, was actually confirmed just before the first MCO,” shared Jook Yie.
Not exactly the most ideal situation, but the pair were quick to adapt, selling green coffee beans, roasted beans, and coffee accessories online.
It was two years after that in 2022 when CurioDark would open its doors.
From the same cloth
CurioDark is something of an opposite take to Curio Coffee Roaster.
The latter’s upstairs location leaves it exposed to broad daylight whereas the former is situated underground with dim ambient lighting to match.
Inspiration was particularly drawn by the Inujima Art Museum and a certain closed bookstore in Taiwan of a similar theme.
It was a matter of concept first, location later.
“We are always intrigued by things that are experimental and uncommon—whether in buildings, spaces, or coffee and drinks,” shared Jook Yie.
“We wanted to create something that hadn’t been done before, at least locally.”
Aesthetics aside, however, and the two outlets’ identity as sister locations becomes more readily apparent. According to the co-founder, both stores share very similar menus.
But perhaps the common trait that sticks out the most is how out of sight they both are. That, mind you, is by choice on the founders’ part.
“We like being intentionally hidden—when searching for good coffee places overseas, we always go for the ones that aren’t easy to find,” said Jook Yie.
She added that the time spent looking for these places is part of the fun and makes the experience that much more memorable.
“We just feel that there must be like-minded people out there who enjoy this the way we do.”
And to her credit, it seems like she’s on to something. CurioDark has been able to draw international customers from 63 different countries and counting, she claimed.
Sky’s the limit
“For F&B entrepreneurs considering a second outlet, our advice would be to stay patient and wait for the right opportunity rather than forcing expansion,” shared CurioDark’s co-owner.
“Expansion should feel like a natural next step, not just a business decision.”
As for the Curio brand, that “natural next step” will be taken very soon with their third outlet, Curio L5.
The latest addition to the Curio name will be located on the open-air rooftop of +n by UR-MU, a private art museum.
Unlike with Curio Coffee Roaster and CurioDark, the menu will be “specially curated,” serving only seasonal specialty coffee with an open view of the city skyline.
“We’re not interested in replicating what we’ve done before; instead, we want to keep evolving and creating something new every time.”
It is quite the different approach to how one would usually carry out an expansion. But for these two, it’s hard to deny that it’s on brand.
Featured Image Credit: CurioDark
