For Brandonn Tan, 33, this is precisely the gap he wanted to fill in the market: a place for people to briefly escape from their daily distractions and just relax.
Speaking to FMT recently, Tan said: “I was in the sales industry before this, and was always looking for a place to hang out or chill in between appointments. I remembered often feeling tired and wanting a quick nap, but my car wasn’t exactly the ideal place for that.”
He said relaxing lounges often cost too much when all he wanted was a safe and quiet spot where he could unwind. Then it hit him that a space like ‘MeTime’ was just the solution he was looking for.
His family however, had their reservations.
“They were very practical and asked me if such a niche concept would make money,” he said, adding that they eventually changed their minds after seeing the book café for themselves and realising how happy it made him.
Tan said finding someone willing to renovate the venue and receive payment only after the business started making money, was the icing on the cake.
However, just months after officially opening, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, throwing his well-laid plans out the window.
Since he was forced to shut his business during the ensuing lockdowns, he used the space for a packaging business he started instead, only restarting MeTime once Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.
FMT visited the café recently and checked out the range of amenities and services offered, which includes rooms offering varying degrees of privacy.
While chilling in the café, customers are free to pick up any of the comic, fiction and non-fiction books on the shelves.
If you aren’t up for reading, the café has a corner for board games and card games, where you can interact with friends and family.
With a background in psychology, Tan also included a quiet room for those who wish to meditate. And should you be in the mood for a Tarot card reading, he will happily oblige.
“I had this customer with two kids at home and she told me she comes here for some much-needed ‘me time’,” he said, happy that his business idea was helping make a difference in some people’s lives.
Other customers however, have argued that the RM16 he charges for the first hour, is rather steep, saying they could very well buy a cup of Starbucks coffee instead.
While this may be true, Tan said that if they came to his café, they could enjoy a much quieter environment and they wouldn’t need to share their space with total strangers.
As for his future plans, he hopes to collaborate someday with other cafes and hotels. “It would be nice to have a ‘MeTime corner’ for customers of other establishments as well.”
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MeTime Book Café
1.010b, Level 1
Jaya One, The Square
Jalan Profesor Diraja Ungku Aziz
Seksyen 13
46200 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Business hours: 11.00am-8.00pm daily
Contact: 014-3434577
*Pet friendly (reserved spaces where pets are not allowed are available)