IT Engineer Sets Up $50K Coffee Bar In An Alley; Serves $3 Lattes While Fixing Clients’ IT Issues
In the middle of Jalan Pemimpin — where office blocks rub shoulders with landed homes — sits a no-frills, unpretentious coffee bar. With its blue tarpaulin roof (a sturdier one’s coming soon), stainless steel counter, automatic coffee machines, a few chairs, and some potted plants, it’s got kampong vibes. Even the SEIN Coffee Bar signage is a DIY job. It may look a little makeshift, but owner Tan Jin Liang, 48, actually splashed out a cool $50K on it. Yep, fifty grand. But more on that later.
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IT engineer who owns a company upstairs sets up coffee kiosk
The modest coffee stand is run by an IT engineer who also owns a small back-end support firm upstairs in the Halcyon Building. But instead of chilling in his air-conditioned office, he now spends most of his day downstairs whipping up $3 coffees for office workers. Yes, he still fixes clients’ IT headaches between sips of java. The University of Sydney grad prefers to keep the name of his IT company under wraps, because, well, he’s a man of mystery?
Space where coffee bar sits used to be filled with junk
Tan opened SEIN Coffee Bar three months ago in an unused open-air spot tucked between Halcyon Building 1 and 2 at the end of the road. Sure, working here from 7.30am to 4.30pm is sweltering, but he swears the two industrial coolers and a thin shelter keep things bearable.
SEIN means “to be” in German, reflecting his philosophy of being who you want to be. “But don’t confuse it with sian (bored) ah!” he jokes.
Not doing this for the money
Tan’s IT business had slowed after the pandemic, with clients closing shop and cheaper foreign competitors popping up. So he decided to try something new: a coffee stand. “I just wanted to see if this concept could work,” he says. “Instead of wasting time in the office, I thought I might as well do something productive.”
“There used to be a restaurant here, but it closed two years ago. Since then, I had to walk ten minutes just to get a drink,” he adds. “Funny enough, I’ve been working here for years and barely knew my neighbours — until I opened this place.”
He assures 8days.sg he didn’t embark on his side quest for the money. “If I did, I’ll be selling my coffee at a higher price tag,” he laughs.
His makeshift IT support desk
How does he juggle brewing coffee and solving IT problems? “I don’t need to physically be in the office,” he explains. “If a client has a problem, my colleague will message me and I can log into their database from my coffee bar and fix it.”
Where the $50K to build humble coffee stand went
He rents the small plot for $1,000 a month from the same landlord who owns his office. Tan spent about $50,000 building the coffee bar from scratch, covering everything from groundwork and roofing to industrial air coolers and coffee machines.
He tells 8days.sg that he sells around 15 to 20 cups of coffee a day. “I can cover my rent, but I’m not making a profit yet,” he admits. “Every business takes time to turn a profit, and I’m not in a rush—I’m just enjoying myself.”
Coffee from an automatic machine at $3 a cup
Don’t expect hand-brewed coffee or gourmet espresso here. Tan uses two automatic machines from China — a $6,800 Dr Coffee and a Kalerm — similar to those sometimes found in office pantries. But he says his beans are likely better than what most offices use. “I use Brazilian beans. Many offices use Vietnamese or Malaysian beans, which aren’t as high-grade. Plus, my machines let me control the exact amount of beans in each cup,” he explains.
“I actually didn’t drink coffee before this. I only started tasting it each morning to make sure the beans and milk were fresh,” he adds. “I chose to sell coffee because I did a survey and most of my neighbours said they liked it.”
Don’t expect any latte art here
Prices are reasonable at $3 a cup for a caffe latte, americano, espresso, flat white, or cappuccino. Iced versions cost $0.50 more. Tan froths his own fresh milk using brands like Farmhouse and HL Milk. There’re also canned drinks available, priced at $2.
What his employees think about their boss becoming a barista
“Most of the workers in this area aren’t paid much. I know because I pay them myself,” Tan says bluntly. “True, what,” he adds with his trademark no-filter honesty when we laugh in surprise. “If my coffee were five bucks, honestly, nobody would turn up.”
What do his three employees think about their boss running a coffee bar? “They’re quite happy — the boss is not in the office. When the cat’s away, the mouse will play,” laughs Tan.
Why he plays Canon in D Major, on repeat, everyday
“I feel that this piece of music represents the ups and downs of being a human being. When my customers come to drink coffee and listen to the music (Pachelbel's classical hit), they start to tell me their life story,” Tan smiles. Some open up about their marriages or work struggles, while he shares his own experience in return. Over time, some of them have become regulars and even friends.
Interestingly, his music choice isn’t just for people, but for his beloved plants, too. “I want them to grow well, so I let them listen to good music. They’re thriving because of it,” he says. “They’re part of nature, and they make me feel alive!”
Customers come from all over
Despite its super simple setup, Tan’s coffee bar has drawn visitors from beyond Jalan Pemimpin. “Two Japanese tourists came by after seeing me on Instagram. They said only Japan’s countryside sometimes has such a setup. Even then, coffee there can be pricey, about $7 to $8,” he shares.
“I just want to offer something different from Singapore’s mainstream cafés.”
Will he expand the menu? “I tried selling curry puffs and goreng pisang, but the response wasn’t great,” Tan admits. “For three days, I ordered 20 curry puffs and 30 goreng pisang daily — and only sold two or three. I had to throw a lot away.”
He explains: “I think [it's] because people just want to get their coffee fix then leave. So I’ve decided not to offer food at the moment until sales picks up.” He adds that he may consider selling matcha latte in future if there’s a demand for it.
Free Wifi… but no games allowed
If you’re in the area, and short on data, he’s got you covered, sort of. “Some of the workers here don’t have Wifi, so they’ll come down to ‘borrow’ my internet. I try to provide for them,” he says. Then, in his trademark deadpan style: “But don’t come here to play games ah. Not funny.”
Your Candy Crush craving will have to wait.
SEIN Coffee Bar is located at 39A Jln Pemimpin, C01-11, S577183. Open Mon to Fri 7.30am-4.30pm; Sat 8am-1pm. Closed Sun. More info via Facebook.
Photos: Glyn Seah, S E I N Coffee Bar
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