A good friend of mine teaches architecture at the university of Munich. Recently, he and his students opened a pop-up café for a few months.
In search of someone to take over the place after their assignment ends, he met several people in the Munich restaurant scene. One of them was from LAP Coffee, a Berlin coffee store chain that’s expanding quickly in Munich these days.
“They opened three stores in the city in the last two months,” my friend told me. “That’s not normal. Apparently they have some big US investors who drown them in money so they can grow fast, fast, fast.”
The story reminded me of my fiancée’s former flat in London. It was owned by a Hong Kong real estate fund. There was no way to really get in touch with anyone. The flat was nice, and everything went smoothly. But outside of the contact with the agent when renting and dealing with the contract, there was no trace of an owner to be seen.
One more example: Pokémon card prices have exploded in 2025. Not everything has recouped its high from the 2021 boom, but much product has grown well beyond. Sealed boxes. Graded cards. Collection boxes. Some items are up 500% in the last year alone. It’s crazy how much money is flowing into the space in such a short time.
There’s that famous quote from Jeff Goldblum’s character in Jurassic Park: “Life finds a way.” Well, so does money. Wherever there’s a return, money will flock to. And in our modern, globally connected world, it doesn’t matter much whether you wire a million bucks to your neighbor or someone on a different continent.
With politics unstable, wars in several countries, and stocks at all-time highs, perhaps it’s no wonder many dollars are seeking growth in new destinations. Perhaps you, too, can look beyond the familiar. Whether you desire investment for a venture or a profit on your cash, open the curtains. Consider the entire landscape that’s in front of you—not just your favorite pop-up café down the street.
