Category: Tibetan Business Highlights

Tibetan Business Highlights

Tibetan Business Highlights is part of the heartbeat of this site. It is a platform to promote small businesses of excellence throughout Tibet who are continually seeking to improve their services. As this feature of Tibetpedia develops, we hope to have a broad range of services represented: guesthouses, homestays, restaurants, guiding services, drivers, horse trekking operators, etc. We aim to not only help raise awareness of these businesses, but also to lend credibility to the businesses profiled here so that foreign travellers will experience the best of Tibetan service and hospitality.

Large portions of tourism resources across Tibet fail to benefit businesses run by the local people. Instead, businesses owned and operated from outside these areas often receive the majority of benefit. This feature of Tibetpedia aims to help ensure locally operated businesses benefit from the tourism resources in their locale. Not every business found here is necessarily locally owned. We also value promoting businesses that hire local employees, purchase from locally run businesses, and generally promote the best possible interest of Tibetans as they do business in this region.

We believe the businesses profiled below will enable travelers to have insider access to the best service and most authentic experience of Tibetan service and hospitality.

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Most Recent Business Highlights

Bollywood Restaurant

Tucked away in the city of Chengdu, Sichuan, is the Bollywood Restaurant. Run by a local Tibetan named Wanjia, you will find this bustling eatery with a colorful flare serving up Indian rice bowls and nam bread. Yet don’t be fooled, as some of these dishes, while authentic to Indian flavor, can’t help but mix in a little Tibetan culture – can you say yak meat, anyone?
Wangjia is from the Yushu area, in the Kham region, with his hometown being the lowest altitude place in all of Yushu.

Wangjia received his education in China, and he speaks fluent Tibetan, Chinese, and English. He is a very outgoing, and knowledgeable Tibetan man. He realized there were some Indian restaurants in Chengdu, but most of them are far away from the Tibetan area of the city. With the Tibetan connection to Indian spiritually, he wanted one closer. The market research he undertook indicated that the Tibetan area of the city could support an Indian restaurant.

Various seating options allow any number of parties to come and try the Indian/Tibetan food

The Bollywood Restaurant is decorated in blend of Tibetan and Indian style. The restaurant invites guests to host parties in their space for up to 100 people, and there is a meeting room that can hold 20 people. There are 12 staff at the restaurant – all of them are young and enthusiastic Tibetans, two of which are family members, and all of them speak Tibetan, Chinese, and English. Most of their ingredients are imported from India because Wangjia wants to ensure both the quality, and that the food reflects true Indian cuisine.

Extravagant employees showing off some beautiful clothing

The Bollywood Restaurant has two unique products to try while you are there. One is Beef (Yak) Curry, which is one of the Tibetan/Indian fusion dishes that travelers must try. The other is Butter Nam, which is baked in a Tandoor stove using a very hot and fast cooking process.

Wangjia hopes that he can train more Tibetan chefs in the future. He also wants to expand his business to a chain of restaurants either in Chengdu, or to include other major cities. This expansion would hopefully require the training of even more Tibetan chefs in the future!

Contact Info:

地址：成都市武侯区高升桥北街成都A区高华二街69号【宝莱坞印度西餐厅】联系人: 义西求加

电话：15680755882 座机：028-85586914

Address: #69 Gaohua Second Street, First Ring Road, Wuhou District

P: 18782916774 (English speaker )

May 30, 2016
Tsering’s Homestay

Situated on the top of a mountain in the Amdo Tibetan Region, travelers can find Tsering’s Homestay. Overlooking a quiet valley, the farming community is a peaceful place to visit. With only 34 families in the village, one is never far from a pure view of the mountainside.
High on a mountain, you will find a small village in a valley

Tsering received both her bachelor and master’s degrees at a university in Chengdu. She is the only one who has gotten a master’s degree in her village. She values education and has seen the many benefits that she has received as a result of her studies. With this in mind, Tsering has organized workshops in her village to share the importance of education, and to encourage parents to send their kids to school. Tsering has also been assisting a few students in her village with their tuition by helping them to find sponsorship. Tsering loves her village, and by using her education, she wants to help her village flourish.

Tsering is very passionate about introducing Tibetan culture to people. When she was a student at university, she took some of her foreign friends and students to her village. Over the years, her friends and students (to whom she teaches English) have enjoyed staying with her family, exploring the village, hiking, and learning local culture. As a result, her and her family have experience in hosting tourists in their home. So far, her family is the only house in her village that receives tourists. Her hometown is a popular tourist destination, but not her village just yet. Although her house is not fancy, you will have a pleasant stay if you get the chance to visit.

Such breathtaking images shows an amazing landscape, who wouldn’t want to come here?

Tsering hopes that she can bring a positive impact to her community through her small business by educating the local people, encouraging young people to start their own small businesses, and by helping more students with their educational dreams.

By staying with Tsering’s family and having her as your tour guide, you will have the opportunity to experience authentic local Tibetan culture. Guests who have stayed with her family before have had a great time getting to know her family and some of the other villagers. Tsering’s parents think that it is their honor to have guests from all over the world, and they are happy to share their life and home with all of their guests.

Contact Info:

四川阿坝若尔盖县铁布麦刚村。

电话： 13882198591。

Address: Maigang Village, Conger Township, Ruoergai County, Aba Prefercture and Sichuan Province.

Phone: 13882198591

May 30, 2016
Tewaga Tibetan Restaurants

There are two Tewaga Tibetan Restaurants for travellers to enjoy. One in Tiewu (Amdo Region), and the other in Chengdu, operated by the same management.
One of the owners, Asang, is from North East Tibet. He was born a small village in a stunning valley called “Zhagana”. It is considered as one of the most beautiful places in the Amdo Tibetan Region.

Asang went to university in Chengdu where he majored in Tibetan studies. Asang is a very knowledgeable, yet humble man who speaks Tibetan, Chinese, and English. His wife is a well-known Tibetan singer, Karma Jangdrol Drolma. They are both very passionate about education and social entrepreneurship.

Opening of the new restaurant back in 2012. One can see the beautiful singer: Karma Jangdrol Drolma.

Together they opened their first Tibetan restaurant in 2006 in Tiewu county town, which is Asang’s hometown. They realized that a small business could make profit, but more importantly, business can help other people.

The first restaurant encouraged them to take next step, so they opened their second restaurant in Chengdu in 2012. They wanted to continue providing people with healthy and organic, local Tibetan food in the big city of Chengdu.

Healthy, organic Tibetan food offered to all in the big city of Chengdu

Now they have 12 employees in total. A previous employee even opened their own restaurant after working and learning skills for a few years at one of Asang’s restaurants.

Together, Asang and his wife want to continue offering more organic food to their clients, and to provide more job opportunities to Tibetans.

If you visit either restaurant, some of Tewaga’s popular dishes include their Tibetan hotpot, and yak ribs.

Contact Info:

总店地址：甘肃省甘南州迭部县扎尕那藏餐宫。联系电话：0941-5623333
Headquarters : Zhagana Tibetan Restaurant, Die Bu County Town, Gannan Prefecture, Ganshu Province. Phone: 0941-5623333

分店地址：成都武侯祠横街9号附2号，特瓦阁茶餐屋。
电话：028-85516122 18010599929
Branch: #9 WuHouCi HengJie, Chengdu.
Phone: 028-85516122 18010599929

May 30, 2016
Charu’s Coworking Space

If you make your way to the 16th floor of a seemingly unspectacular office building, you will discover a unique space that appears to be a cafe, but doubles as a shared coworking space for those looking to escape the office. Filled with books and artwork, an extrovert might find themselves a stimulating conversation to join, while and introvert may prefer losing themselves in one of the many books.
Charu Coworking Space was started in Chengdu by two energetic and positive Tibetan guys – Tsering Tashi and Tsehua. They have been friends for a few years now, and both of them have a similar passion for providing people opportunities to study, train, and exchange ideas.

With a western feel to it, Charu offers a home away from home for foreigners looking to escape Chengdu for awhile.

At the end of 2012, they founded a club called Norzang. The idea behind Norzang was to form a reading club or association for Tibetan entrepreneurs in all sectors and walks of life in order to encourage them to learn better, read more, and exchange even more ideas.

Tsering Tashi and Tsehua found that participants in Norzang needed space and opportunities to learn and exchange effectively in the group, so as a result, they had to think of a way to solve the problem for Norzang. With this motivation, Charu was born in 2015.

Charu is all about links. The name itself has a Tibetan meaning, coming from the word for the toggle that is used to connect all the parts of a black yak hair tent together. Tucked away on the 16th floor, Charu is not your ordinary coffee shop, it is a shared work space and a service centre for entrepreneurs. But you can enjoy the best Tibetan yak milk coffee or yogurt in town. Charu’s unique design combining traditional Tibetan and modern elements provides a friendly and warm space for those who are looking for a peaceful place to work, a different environment, a place to share, exchange, read, and learn. Charu’s is a place where you feel great about who you are and what you are doing, and a place where you feel welcome.

Beautiful view outside the window allows a glimpse at the massive city.

If you find yourself travelling to Chengdu, you can visit Charu to enjoy yak milk coffee, meet different people, browse the interesting book titles that line the shelves, or simply admire the beautiful Tibetan inspired décor that adorns the walls of this open and inviting space. Charu’s is worth the visit.

Contact Info:

四川成都市一环路南四段21号，A栋1单元1607,

电话： 13540871122.

Building A Unit 1, Rm 1607, No .21 First Ring Southern Section 4, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Phone：13540871122

May 30, 2016
A Re’s Restaurant

A Re is the name of a very well known chain of restaurants in Chengdu, but also that of the business owner. The namesake herself was born in a very alluring and remote Tibetan valley, Danba, in the Kham Tibetan Region.
A Re didn’t get the chance to attend school to get an education when she was a child, so she came to Chengdu 16 years ago to look for service-oriented jobs. This was her first time visiting Chengdu, and she was surprised to learn that there were no Tibetan restaurants in the area at the time. As a result, she came up with the idea of opening a restaurant in Chengdu, and introducing Tibetan food culture to the city through her restaurant. Fortunately for her, her brother supported her idea and was able to help her, so, A Re opened the first Tibetan restaurant in Chengdu.

Looking to have some traditional Tibetan food? A Re’s Restaurant has made sure you will find a wide variety of foods to try, from meat to vegetarian options.

Now, A Re runs 5 restaurants in Chengdu, two of which are solely vegetarian. She believes that eating healthy food is very critical to the well being of people, so she is continually looking to offer healthier food to her customers. While here, try the Tibetan style hotpot, noodles, or “pizza”.

The restaurant has provided a lot of job opportunities to Tibetans, and now employs over 70 staff. Of the employees, 90% of them are Tibetans.

A Re makes sure that all food is healthy and organic for her customers. She believes this is essential for the well being of all people.

A Re regrets that she couldn’t go to school, so she encourages young Tibetans to get education, and to use their education and skills to help their community. She has been providing training to people who are interested in working as restaurant mangers or chefs. So far, A Re has cultivated about 40 Tibetan restaurants managers and more than 100 Tibetan chefs in just the past few years alone.

Contact Info (for the original restaurant):

武侯祠大街234号(近南郊公园)

#234 WuHouCi Street (Near Jin Li Street)

P: 028-80836677 / 028-85570877

May 30, 2016
Dancing Yak Handicrafts

Dancing Yak Handicrafts was founded in Chengdu in 2012. Inside locals and tourists alike stop to browse the beautiful selection of yak and sheep wool materials, carefully crafted into bags, pillows, and more.
The owner of the company is a Swiss lady named Katja. She realised that traditionally Tibetan women worked with their hands to weave tents made out of Yak wool, but now as those of the Tibetan culture find themselves increasingly living indoors in towns and cities, Katja did not want to see the traditions of their culture disappear. Instead, Katja is helping entrepreneurial Tibetan ladies take what is traditional and transition their skills into the modern world. She travels around Tibet to collect yak wool and uses it to make different Tibetan bags, table runners, and pillowcases, etc.

Dancing Yak is a cozy shop full of various trinkets and gifts waiting to find a home.

Now, she has 4 employees, and all of them are female Tibetans. Katja usually provides one year of training to her employees with regards to sewing and cutting material. She is not only training her staff, but also encouraging them to use their own creativity to create modern Tibetan style fusion products. She is also hoping to hire more Tibetan woman, and with that, Katja looks for employees who are open minded, willing to learn, and teachable.
Katja opened Danging Yak in Chengdu in 2013, where all of her handicrafts products are on display, and if you have chance to travel to Chengdu, you can visit the store to see samples of the women’s work. The women themselves benefit from the proceeds of the items they create. It’s a worthwhile visit to see the blend of traditional and modern culture come together in beautifully designed products. One of the best selling products is their hand-woven, yak wool bags.

Custom bags created by Katiya’s Tibetan employees.

Katiya has been supporting the local economy by buying locally made and sourced products. She has also been raising the quality of life for Tibetan women by empowering them as they grow in their own skills, abilities, and cultural pride. Katja hopes that there will continue to be more and more Tibetan female entrepreneurs in future.

If you are looking for a souvenir to add a colourful splash to your house, or an item to serve a more functional purpose, take a stroll down Shuhan Dong Road to visit the Dancing Yak.

Contact Info:

地址：四川省成都市武侯区蜀汉东街7号附12号民族手工业品店。

电话： 13709010130

Address: Shuhan Dong Rd,7/12 Chengdu, Sichuan, China. (200m Opposite the Minority University Westgate) Subway line 3 Gaoshengqiao station exit C.

Phone: 13709010130

Website: dancingyakhandicrafts.com

May 6, 2016
Blue Sheep Handicrafts & Giftshop

Tucked away in the streets of Chengdu shoppers can find Blue Sheep Handicrafts & Giftshop. Surrounded by restaurants and other stores, the locals frequent this area as well, telling me that we have come to the right place. Continuing inside the store, I am surprised by how spacious the shop feels, even with so many unique items on display. I immediately spy a few items that I wouldn’t mind adding to my personal collection. Here I meet Dr. Ray, a woman who radiates joy and compassion.
From toys to bags to even mugs, Blue Sheep offers a wide variety of handcrafted gifts to bring home to anyone

Dr. Ray is a British lady who has spent most of her life living and working overseas. She is passionate about taking healthcare where there is none, and in 1999 started running surgery camps in Tibet. However, she soon realized that for Tibetans and the other ethnic minorities she was working with, it was very hard to pay for necessary things such as healthcare and education if you didn’t have a very good source of income. As a result, she and her husband began offering skills training to the locals in sewing, carving, carpentry, painting, and beekeeping, etc.

But the problem still remained: even with the skills, if you can’t sell your products to a larger market, how do locals make the necessary money to support their family?

The answer came in the form of Blue Sheep. In 2014 Dr. Ray opened the shop, and now buys from over 35 producers. These producers are selected for their quality, fair trade principles, and ecological sustainability, but they also represent over 600 people who are directly involved in the creation of these products. These direct beneficiaries have others relying on them for the income as well, so it’s not hard to see how this little store in Chengdu is truly impacting lives in China! Most of the profit from the Blue Sheep goes back to the producers to provide even more enterprise training, or to assist in disaster relief efforts.

Blue Sheep is a “one stop craft shop with a difference where you shop with a purpose!”

When asked what she wanted her customers to know, Dr. Ray says that the Blue Sheep is a “one stop craft shop with a difference where you shop with a purpose!” There are stories attached to most of the products, and information is also available on a rack at the front door about some of the different suppliers.

If you do stop by and get a chance to meet Dr. Ray, ask her how she named the shop, and she will tell a story of woman versus sheep at the edge of a cliff.

Contact Info:

地址：一环路南四段高升桥北街1号，成都A 区1楼35号商铺。

电话：15882336584

Address: Shop 35, A Qu, Gaoshengqiao North Street (Near Walmart at Roman Holiday Plaza)

Phone: 15882336584

May 3, 2016