In the news of July 31, 2025, half a year ago, the internet celebrity “Zhou Bing Lun”, who became popular for resembling Jay Chou, opened a pastry shop in Shijiazhuang. Recently, visitors found that the shop had closed. On the evening of July 30, “Zhou Bing Lun” responded, saying, “I couldn’t even cover the rent after half a year, so I decided to withdraw since there’s no fate.”
According to reports from Chinese media, on January 3 of this year, “Zhou Bing Lun” opened a new store in Shijiazhuang. On the opening day, “Zhou Bing Lun” appeared at the new store for promotion, interacted with fans, and provided on-site service.
On July 27, when visitors went to check in at the pastry shop chain of “Zhou Bing Lun” in Shijiazhuang, they found that the store had closed. Employees from a neighboring Zheng Xin Chicken Cutlet shop confirmed that the Shijiazhuang branch of “Zhou Bing Lun” had already closed.
Subsequently, a Chinese media reporter contacted a man based on the prominent phone number for store rental on the shop’s sign.
The man claimed to be the landlord and confirmed that the pastry shop of “Zhou Bing Lun” in Shijiazhuang had closed, “No business is being conducted.” “That location is the best. The monthly rent was 20,000 yuan, with a size of 80 square meters. We are now recruiting follow-up businesses and have already talked to four or five.”
On July 30, “Zhou Bing Lun” responded via video, saying, “In Shijiazhuang, to put it bluntly, even after half a year, I couldn’t cover the rent, so I decided to close. Whether it’s family, friends, or our employees, I want them to have a good life, food to eat, and make money. But if I can’t even cover the rent, let’s just call it quits, it’s not embarrassing.”
Now 43-year-old, “Zhou Bing Lun” whose real name is Bai Xianying, used to sell breakfast in his early years. He can make buns, noodles, dumplings, and once ran a plush toy business. Starting in 2015, he set up a stall selling egg-filled pastries in Liangmatang Township, Rongcheng County, Baoding City, Hebei Province.
At the end of 2020, his resemblance to Jay Chou while selling pastries made him an online sensation. Later, when Jay Chou held a concert in Tianjin, “Zhou Bing Lun” also went to the venue’s entrance to sell pastries and take photos with fans. In October 2024, “Zhou Bing Lun” opened a pastry shop in Tianjin, and netizens hailed him as the “biggest winner of the Jay Chou look-alike club.”
Currently, “Zhou Bing Lun” has nearly 1.64 million fans on TikTok.
The closure of the Shijiazhuang store of “Zhou Bing Lun” has sparked discussions on social media.
Netizens commented that “his pastries are indeed quite delicious,” “I have tried his pastries, they’re not bad, and he’s very genuine.”
“Opening a store these days means making money for the landlord unless you own the property,” “Nowadays, running a physical store for food is not very suitable,” “It’s better to set up a stall. Many people go to him, but by opening a store, the basic costs go to the landlord. Doing business is tough these days!” “Even internet celebrities can’t break even, I’m curious to see what the next tenant will do.”