A midlife crisis, a one-way ticket to Vietnam, and a dream that refused to die.
That is the story behind a new dessert cafe taking shape in Richmond right now.
Daydreamers by Cafe 33 is setting up at 8060 Anderson Road, directly across from Richmond City Hall and Richmond Centre Mall.
The unit was previously home to Pokey Okey, which has now moved into the food hall with Oishinoya and Nonbiri.
New signage is already up on the storefront.
The cafe is the passion project of owner Celeste, who has been documenting the entire process of opening her first food business on her YouTube channel.
Her story is not your typical restaurant origin story.
After going through a long-term relationship and what she describes as a midlife crisis, Celeste made a drastic decision.
She sold everything she owned and traveled to Vietnam.
That trip changed everything for her.
It reignited her love for food, culture, and the art of coffee.
Now she is back in Canada and turning that experience into a brick-and-mortar cafe.
According to Celeste, the menu will feature Vietnamese coffee, specialty drinks, fresh teas, matcha, gelato, and desserts.
The concept is what Celeste describes as a place where “sweet dreams and sweet treats come together.”
On her YouTube channel, Celeste has been sharing behind-the-scenes videos of the entire buildout process.
She has been open about the financial side of launching a first food business and has been doing as much of the work as she can on her own.
The videos give a raw, honest look at what it takes to open a small cafe from scratch (ie. a lot of hard work, late nights, and just figuring things out).
No opening date has been announced yet, but renovations appear to be actively underway based on recent posts.
Daydreamers by Cafe 33 joins a growing list of upcoming food spots in Richmond, including Yummy Rice Roll, Dao Field Noodle Shop, and Taoke.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: 8060 Anderson Road, Richmond, BC