Recession's soft impact on the Hard Rock Cafe

For 15 years, the Hard Rock Cafe Beijing has been the capital city's school of rock 'n' roll. "When we opened in 1994, it stunned them," said Jimmy Hoon, who has been the general manager of the Hard Rock Cafe Beijing since that opening. "We were the only cafe that was actually educating the Chinese about the music. We were teaching them what rock 'n' roll is all about," he said.

A crowd of more than 2,000 came to the grand opening to hear blues legend B.B. King. "We were the talk of the town," Hoon said, but added that the party was composed mostly of expats and tourists already well familiar with the Hard Rock brand name.

The few Chinese patrons who walked inside during the first year were unfamiliar with the classic rock music blaring from the loudspeakers and did not recognize the names of the musicians whose guitars, clothes and record albums filled the display cases in every room of the restaurant and live music venue, he said.