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Wenheyou (Chinese: 文和友; pinyin: Wénhéyǒu) is a restaurant brand based in Changsha, Hunan province, China. Established in 2011, the brand is notable for its multi-story 80s-themed restaurant spaces in Changsha, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen that have been likened to the former Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong.

Origins

Changsha Wenheyou

Wenheyou was founded by the Changsha street food vendor Wen Bin (文宾) in 2011 with only ¥5000 in seed money. He paid particular attention to branding, and in a year he was able to make a name for his brand that he was able to move into a 10 m shop that became featured in the popular talk show Day Day Up on Hunan Television. With the media exposure, Wenheyou tapped into the influencer (wanghong) economy and expanded in the city of Changsha with its offerings of local delicacies like crayfish, sausages, and stinky tofu in the following years.

In 2017, faced with redevelopment of the Du Fu River Pavilion area where their flagship store was located, Wenheyou rebranded itself as a cultural entity in order to move into the upscale Changsha Hisense Plaza nearby. It was there that Wenheyou established the "Super Wenheyou" (超级文和友) brand in 2018, creating immersive multi-story open dining spaces that evoke the atmosphere of Chinese cities in the 1980s. From there on, Wen Bin envisioned Wenheyou as the "Disney of the Chinese food industry".

Expansion

Shenzhen Wenheyou

In July 2020, the Guangzhou Super Wenheyou opened in Taikoo Hui Guangzhou, marking the first Wenheyou branch outside of Changsha. The restaurant initially focused on crayfish and featured over 20 traditional Guangzhou snack shops. The opening attracted a large number of customers, with wait times reaching up to four and a half hours. In April 2021, the Shenzhen Wenheyou opened in the Dongmen commercial area, with a focus on Shenzhen oysters. At the same time, the Super Wenheyou locations in Changsha and Guangzhou were renamed to Changsha Wenheyou (长沙文和友) and Guangzhou Wenheyou (广州文和友).

However, Wenheyou faced difficulties adapting to the local markets in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The initial excitement and long queues experienced during the opening did not last, and customer traffic decreased. Many shops also withdrew from the locations. The Shenzhen Wenheyou changed its branding within six months to "Old Street Oyster Market" (老街蚝市场), and a few months later, it underwent another rebranding. The Guangzhou Wenheyou abandoned its focus on crayfish and shifted to an increased emphasis on seafood. Additionally, in 2022, it was reported that Wenheyou laid off staff, and plans for expansion into Nanjing were put on hold.

In September 2023, the Shenzhen Wenheyou temporarily closed, sparking rumors of its closure. It later reopened, but with a transformation focusing on Hunan cuisine, hoping to revive its popularity. In July 2024, Taikoo Hui, the owner of the Guangzhou Wenheyou location, announced plans to make changes to the building's exterior, including the construction of a pedestrian bridge. This led to speculation that Wenheyou would be leaving the location, but the company denied these rumors. However, by December 2024, all other brand stores within the Guangzhou Wenheyou site had closed.

References

  1. "走出长沙的文和友，只剩铜臭味了". 新周刊. 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2025-01-23 – via Sina Finance.
  2. ^ Wu, Rong (2020-07-20). "Is it a mall? Is it a restaurant? No, it's Super Wenheyou!". Jiemian News. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  3. "解构文和友 || 品牌剖析". www.360kuai.com (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  4. 豹变 (2021-09-22). "100亿估值的文和友，为何难以「走出」长沙？". Jiemian News. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  5. "空铺率高达70%，超级文和友走下神坛 | CBNData". www.cbndata.com. Retrieved 2025-01-23.
  6. 宋昀潇 (2020-07-02). "超级文和友落户广州天河：以美食为名发掘城市文化，致敬食在广州！". Yangcheng Evening News. Archived from the original on 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  7. 何姗 (2020-07-14). "广州超级文和友成超级网红 浓缩城市记忆". 新快报. Archived from the original on 2021-09-22. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  8. 刘云 (2021-04-02). "深圳文和友对外开放，放下"超级"，拥抱城市". Yangcheng Evening News. Archived from the original on 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  9. 郭缤璐 (2021-10-14). "改名能否拯救文和友的"水土不服"". 北京商报. Archived from the original on 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-13 – via 凤凰网.
  10. "深圳文和友大变样 赛博朋克风老街蚝市场上线". 新浪深圳. 2021-09-28. Archived from the original on 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  11. 贺达源 (2021-11-12). "一年前排号3000桌的广州文和友，现在为什么没那么火了？". Nanfang Daily. Archived from the original on 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  12. 吴容 (2022-02-16). "文和友被爆大面积裁员，走出长沙后表现不如预期". Jiemian News. Archived from the original on 2024-06-17. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  13. 吴容 (2024-01-04). "深圳文和友一改再改，主做湘菜挽救人气". Jiemian News. Archived from the original on 2024-01-21. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  14. 许晓芳、陈钧圣 (2024-07-09). "广州超级文和友改造？太古汇：计划升级汇坊商业模式". Guangzhou Daily. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  15. 丰西西 (2024-07-13). "广州文和友否认撤店 网红餐饮跨区域发展如何"长红"？". Yangcheng Evening News. Archived from the original on 2024-07-13. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
  16. 詹丹晴 (2024-11-30). "广州文和友将要撤店？所处建筑获规划许可，下个月关剩1家店". Southern Metropolis Daily. Archived from the original on 2024-12-01. Retrieved 2024-12-01.
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