How Rewind Built a Loyal Coffee Community Around Vinyl and Warm Drinks

Rewind is a record cafe bar in Bucharest, inspired by Japanese jazz kissaten — intimate listening bars where coffee and music go hand in hand. The space combines specialty coffee from a local roastery, a cocktail bar, craft beer, and a curated vinyl collection.

The venue opened in May 2025. Alex and his team knew from the start that the business would face seasonality: cocktails and the bar side would slow down in winter, and the coffee side would need to carry the business through the colder months.

The concept was strong — specialty coffee, a curated menu, a one-of-a-kind atmosphere — but turning first-time visitors into regulars required something more.

To share cards with customers, Rewind uses a small printed card at the till, split in two: one QR code for Google Reviews, another for the loyalty card enrollment. This is the main point of conversion — the conversation happens naturally at the counter.

When a first-time customer orders, the staff mentions the program. While the coffee is being prepared, the customer scans the QR code and adds the card to their wallet. By the time their drink is ready, they are enrolled and stamped.

For customers who already have the card, the flow is even faster — they show the card before payment so staff can check if this is their free drink or one that needs to be paid.

The program was also shared on Rewind's Instagram and through a link in their bio, which helped pre-enroll regular customers before the official launch.

The program launched in October 2025. In the first month alone, Rewind generated around 300 cards. Four months later, they were close to 600 — with roughly 8 out of 10 customers enrolled.

The coffee side of the business doubled from one period to the next — a combination of the venue maturing and the loyalty program driving repeat visits. From autumn into winter — each period showed growth.

• ~600 loyalty cards in four months
• ~80% of customers enrolled
• ~57-60% of cardholders are regularly active
• Coffee business doubled period over period
• Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays are the most active days

The loyalty card also changed everyday interactions. Redeeming a free coffee became a small ritual — something fun for both staff and customers.

The team initially tested geolocation notifications but found them too frequent, especially for iPhone users. They turned them off and plan to revisit targeted notifications later — sending messages only to customers who have not visited in a while.