Ziferblat facts for kids
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Ziferblat in Moscow
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| Industry | Restaurants |
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| Genre | Coffee house, Social space |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Russia, UK, Czechia, Slovenia, Ukraine |
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Key people
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Ivan Mitin |
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Number of employees
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~170 |
Ziferblat is a special kind of place, often called an "anti-café". Here, you pay for the time you spend inside, not for the food or drinks! It's designed to feel like a comfy living room. When you arrive, you "clock in" at the front desk, and when you leave, you "clock out." The idea is to make you feel right at home.
These spaces usually have lots of cool things to do. You might find board games, newspapers, and free Wi-Fi. There are also comfy chairs and sofas, a piano, a library, and even art supplies. It's a great spot to hang out, study, or meet friends.
Contents
What is Ziferblat?
The name Ziferblat comes from a German word, Zifferblatt, which means "clock face." This name fits perfectly because you pay by the minute! The very first Ziferblat opened in Moscow, Russia, in September 2011. It was started by a person named Ivan Mitin. Before Ziferblat, there was a similar place called Tree House, which was like a test version.
Where Can You Find Ziferblat?
Ziferblat has opened locations in several countries around the world.
Ziferblat in Russia
In Russia, you can find Ziferblat branches in many big cities. These include Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, and Rostov-on-Don.
Ziferblat in the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom also has Ziferblat locations. Branches have opened in cities like Manchester, Coventry, and London. There were plans to open even more in other cities across the country.
However, some branches have closed. The Liverpool branch in Albert Dock closed in March 2017. Another Liverpool branch also closed in October 2018. The MediaCityUK branch closed in January 2019.
Ziferblat in Ukraine
In Ukraine, there is a Ziferblat branch located in the city of Kiev.
Ziferblat in Slovenia
You can also find a Ziferblat branch in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia.
How Ziferblat Works
Ziferblat is part of the "sharing economy." This means it's about sharing resources and spaces. In its first two years in the UK, Ziferblat was recognized with several awards. It won the Innovation Award at the Cafe Life Awards and was part of the Innovation100 in Greater Manchester.
The main idea of Ziferblat is to offer a comfy public space. It's like an alternative to working or studying from home. You pay by the minute for the time you spend there. You can also choose to pay a fixed fee to stay for the whole day. Some people even buy a monthly membership. In 2017, Ziferblat was seen as a good example of how people's work habits were changing, especially in big cities.
Many Ziferblat locations also have special rooms that businesses can rent. These rooms are great for meetings or activities that might usually happen in a hotel or a conference center. The styles of these meeting rooms can be very different. For example, some have looked like a primary school classroom, while others were designed like a fancy old-fashioned dining room. When you rent these rooms, the pay-per-minute rate includes all the equipment you need, Wi-Fi, and unlimited snacks.
