Tourists relaxing next to a trunk booth [Photo by Chen Lanqing from Pingtan CMC]

Fancy cafe booths converted from car trunks blend in with crowds of holidaymakers and the gorgeous coastal scenery of Pingtan International Tourism Island over the latest National Day holiday. The new cultural trend has recently caught on on the island.

At Shanmen Bay, Lin Zhihui, owner of Star Drink Car, a roadside beverage booth was busy entertaining some customers on October 3. Unlike traditional booths, Lin’s was transformed from the trunk of his orange car, strewn with catchy placards reading: Coffee ain't bitter than life; A relationship ain’t sweeter than a cup of bubble tea, etc. A well-equipped barista’s workstation for concocting drinks and drip coffees decked the trunk of the car.  A stone’s throw away, tables and chairs were set up for chilled customers.

Tourists swarming into Pingtan drove the business over the holiday. Lin said with a smile: “For just two hours, I' ve sold over 40 cups. When we are at our best, we could churn out nearly a hundred in one hour."

Shanmen Bay is a popular location for photo taking. Every April to May, cogon grass covers the entire bay. Now, sea birds are soaring in the air. A herd of cattle is strolling on the perennial grass, attracting tourists to stop by and take photos. “The scenery is picturesque. I want to make travelers stop and relax,” said Lin.　

According to Lin Zhihui, there are many trunk booths like this in Pingtan, most of which are operated by the young people in Pingtan. They embrace the "Trunk Culture." "During peak season, we hang out to set up the booths. On a normal day, we drive our cars out into the wilderness for group camping."

Trunk business is not really about business, but sharing ideals and interests with like-minded people. “Besides serving people, we can meet friends of similar aspirations,” said Lin.

“I often patronize trunk booths. It is nice chatting over a drink on the roadside,” said Wang Rui, a tourist from Zhejiang province with a cup of iced Americano. 

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