"The SCAA is an American system, but it's like a third wave -- globally, it' s a new thing. The environment and decoration here -- if you want to say it was influenced by the Western world, I can admit that. But I prefer to say that it's an international thing because this coffee revolution has just started and it's worldwide."

"The foreigners who come here also find it amazing! It's new for everyone."

Some big international brands coming into China have met with problems -- Starbucks recently came under fire for allegedly charging Chinese consumers a premium to enjoy a product the rest of the world had been sipping cheaper.

But shops like Ma's are part of a cultural interaction rather than a wholesale import, and the fact it's down a hutong and not in one of the shiny new shopping malls speaks to that.

Four months ago, a government enterprise asked him to move from the art district, where he'd been for over a year, to Qianmen. While there's undeniably been some conflict between the rapid modernization of Beijing and the preservation of its more traditional areas, especially with many completely demolished to make way for high rises, Ma says development and heritage don't have to be mutually exclusive.

"The government wants to develop this area and thought my shop was unique and wonderful," he explains. "I was happy to move because we can have a long-term lease here and plan for the business' future."