Though small, the KL outpost is bursting with colourful, quirky titles (All photos: Low Yen Yeing/The Edge)
The usually breakneck metropolitan velocity of Kuala Lumpur’s Petaling Street, with its vibrant cultural centres, honking cars, busy markets and hordes of humans, has got just a touch slower in recent days. Pattering shoes and phone-fixated faces are pausing to peek into the curious window along Jalan Hang Lekir. Behind a chic black exterior lies a simple counter surrounded by issues upon issues of multicoloured indie magazines, with their funky fonts and dynamic covers. The unique space has seen a steady stream of passers-by stepping in for a cup of java while they flip through retro recipe books, miniature home styling guides, sumptuous sports monthlies and even a leaflet that compares Princess Diana’s outfits to pictures of mushrooms.
The “come for the coffee, stay for the reads” model is the heart of Barcelona-based News & Coffee. Founded in 2019, the brand operates kiosks in major cities around Europe where it offers exactly what the name promises. But these are not your usual dailies — the Spanish company prides itself on presenting a thoughtfully tailored selection of text from independent publishers that highlight the viability and artistry of physical craft in a technologically driven age.
“Across Europe, newsstands are where people would traditionally go to buy their daily papers or monthly issues,” explains head of operations Anthony Baësa on News & Coffee’s origins. As the digital era put a strain on sales, kiosks began selling miscellaneous items to keep afloat. “We thought we should bring one back to life, fulfilling its original purpose while providing a different type of media. There are many good quality but lesser-known indie prints. We took over a stall as a test, but realised there needed to be something to draw people in. That’s how the coffee came about.”
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This month, it unveiled its first Asian outlet at SMTH, the pop-up venue by Else Kuala Lumpur, an unexpected move spearheaded by Malaysian creative Nur Habibah Ishak, for whom dropping by the Plaça de Francesc Macià branch for a flat white and fun mag had become a regular ritual. “I had this conversation with my partner on the MRR2 about getting into hospitality and making better spaces. But then I thought about the place in Barcelona where I was getting so much insight and knowledge, and wondered if they would open one in Malaysia,” she says.
Her first email about franchising went out around Chinese New Year. What followed was six “borderline psychotic” months of discussion and work rush, including bringing a team of Malaysians to experience life behind a News & Coffee counter in Spain first-hand. “It was a long and well-thought-out process, because what was important was understanding both sides of two very different landscapes,” says Habibah. Tweaking the set-up was not as simple as hanging up the bunga kantan chandelier, adding gula melaka to the menu and calling it a day. Baësa underlines the importance of studying the lifestyle, market and preferences. For example, visitors can stand idle in temperate Barcelona weather, but KL’s heat and humidity meant the spot needed more coverage and air conditioning — elements SMTH captured without compromising visibility.
“I can’t be happier to see a flower shop in front of us,” smiles Baësa, pointing to the famous Weng Hoa Flower Boutique. As it turns out, around the corner of the first ever News & Coffee in Sant Joan is a florist, whose Chinese owner Maria drops by the kiosk every day for a latte — a coincidence that doubles as sentimental connection.
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The new stall spotlights a healthy selection from Asia-Pacific publishers, like Merantau: Stories of Indonesian Food and Migration and Objects As Archive by KL-based Process Magazine. “We wanted this to be a platform for other Southeast Asian publishers, talents and writers to come up, like a springboard for them to reach the global stage,” emphasises Habibah. About 110 titles span the five main segments of News & Coffee: art and design, travel and hospitality, fashion, music, and sports and adventure. For each location, the brand also commissions a local artist to capture the essence of the neighbourhood through key artworks. The KL graphic on the coffee cups, created by Malaysian illustrator Dania Mah, has a sandal-wearing hibiscus human slurping a beverage. Accompanying the pop-up is an events programme that includes guided city walks and DJ sets, with an upcoming focused talk on “Slowing Down in the Age of AI”.
The casual, welcoming environment is not just another photogenic third space, as accessibility plays a huge role in the company’s mission to champion independent print. Titles that live on bookstore shelves or in pin-drop silent libraries come wrapped in plastic and an intimidating aura, but browsing an open zine while waiting for your cortado is effortless enough to become a routine. Baësa says many publishers had not even considered showcasing their works in this candid format.
Such a space also rallies against another concerning symptom of modernity: the lack of ownership over tangible media. Films and music are now largely rented through subscription-based models regulated by large corporations. But unlike your favourite TV series getting pulled from Netflix, physical text does not strut off your desk into oblivion — these are objects to be treasured, valued and re read.
“Speaking with friends from the creative industry, there was an insatiable desire for inspiration and fresh experiences. News & Coffee represents a pause point in a day, and knowing how hustle-and-bustle the capital is, we felt plenty of people could use this kind of breather,” says Habibah. Many customers were elated to find the latest copy of a title they had purchased overseas, while others were thrilled to find somewhere local stocking a long-coveted issue. “Having observed people take the time to go through every page and soak it all in is spectacular. It really validates everything and proves there is a hunger for it.”
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A Southeast Asian outpost could portend more openings in regional cities (some customers have already suggested Jakarta or Chiang Mai as possible next stops) but Baësa is careful about putting the cart before the horse. “Wherever we decide to go, it’s always because we’ve met the right people. We can’t be arrogant enough to think that we can manage it all from Europe. We love to be joined by locals who understand where they live,” he says, adding that this month-long proving ground will be instrumental to seeing what works or needs to be adjusted. Habibah affirms: “We are finding our footing and taking our time, really studying the location and relevance in KL and hopefully finding a permanent home.”
News & Coffee KL will be at SMTH, Else Kuala Lumpur until Oct 11. Daily, 8am to 6pm.
This article first appeared on Sept 28, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
