It’s hot AF outside and all we can think of is pools. (Straight-talk: see our feature on Shanghai's best swimming pools and water parks.) But pools aren’t just for swimming – or at least so say the team behind Cambio Coffee.
Cambio co-founder Sebastian Martin and his crew, in partnership with property developer Build, have taken a derelict swimming pool near art district M50 and transformed it into The Market, a stunning and singular venue that is hosting the charity event An Afternoon with Mr Yang organised by Kick The Gong Around this weekend, to help keep his craft - adorning traditional Chinese fans with calligraphy - alive.
This Sunday Mr Yang will work his craftsmanship at the event alongside jazz performances, a tai-chi demonstration and a traditional fan dance.
So what is The Market? Aside from these one-off events, from 10am-8pm daily the space features seven vendors slinging food and drink – a line-up comprised of Cambio Coffee, Topolino Express, A+, Amelia’s, Happy Buddha, Dutch Pies, and Papito Pancakes – with some stalls open into the later hours of the evening.
But beyond simply a food hall, Martin hopes to turn The Market into an active community events space, a goal that has already seen several events in the spring, like March’s Shanghai Supperclub, when the venue was still under renovation. The calendar of events features one-off bashes (such as last month’s musical Fun Home) but also monthly recurring gatherings such as pet adoption day, book swap day, F&B industry night and comedy night.
The Market plays host to a different regular market each Saturday of the month – on the first, Fresh Start Saturdays which has a social enterprise slant; on the second, Art of Health which focuses on wellness and spirituality; on the third, Beauty by Shanghai which features tables for fashion and beauty; and on the fourth, Rumble in the Jungle, a swap and secondhand market.
While its grand opening is slated for September – once the city is full again of holidaymakers returned to reality – The Market plans to be in proper soft opening mode by the end of this month, with a slew of events already in the calendar. Follow CambioCoffee on WeChat to get the scoop on everything going on.
Okay, so it may not be the kind of pool we can cool off in, but we’re into it all the same.