Islamabad cafés are increasingly transforming into hybrid retail spaces for small businesses and local entrepreneurs. The trend allows emerging brands to showcase products without opening physical stores. Meanwhile, customers enjoy shopping while spending time at cafés.
Cafés Offer Affordable Platform for Local Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneur Zunaira Arshad launched her greeting card brand, Ugh Feelings, through Islamabad’s Feeka café instead of online marketplaces. She believed café visitors would naturally discover her handcrafted products. Consequently, the strategy helped her business gain visibility with lower marketing costs.
Arshad said the steady customer footfall encouraged impulse purchases and expanded her brand’s reach. Within two months, her products became available at ten locations across Islamabad and Lahore. She also restocked several times because of growing demand.
According to Arshad, renting retail space remains expensive for many small businesses. Therefore, café partnerships provide an affordable alternative for expansion. She described the arrangement as beneficial for both café owners and entrepreneurs.
Feeka owner Ahmed Ikram said the café always aimed to combine specialty coffee with locally made products. Today, it works with more than 100 vendors, most of them women-led businesses. The café also offers around 400 locally produced items.
Hybrid Model Benefits Customers and Café Owners
Under Feeka’s business model, vendors set their own retail prices while the café earns a commission on sales. Some customers visit for coffee before discovering local products. Others specifically come to purchase gifts from featured brands.
Similarly, Baked Islamabad has expanded from supporting home bakers into a broader marketplace. The café now collaborates with more than 100 vendors selling baked goods, specialty coffee, gluten-free products, and farm items. Managers also review product quality before accepting new vendors.
Customers believe the concept benefits everyone involved. Many say hybrid cafés make shopping more convenient while supporting local businesses. As a result, these spaces are becoming valuable platforms for entrepreneurs seeking greater visibility.
