Located along the main road connecting tourist attractions in Gukeng Township in southern Taiwan’s Yunlin County, the Wangbo Coffee Shop, also known as the Am Koo Khenn Café, is a distinctive coffee shop that is furnished with amazing tree stump furniture and wood carvings.
Please watch the following video of a unique cafe with amazing tree stump furniture in Taiwan.
About the Wangbo Coffee Shop
The Wangbo Coffee Shop was established in 1988 under the co-sponsorship of Yunlin Fruit and Vegetable Production Cooperative. Though its initial objective was to promote local agricultural produce, it has evolved into a shop selling locally produced coffee, as Gukeng Township is home to a variety of indigenously-grown coffee beans.
In contrast to ordinary coffee shops, this is a unique coffee shop with an L-shaped immense hall that can seat more than 200 people. Its convenient location, coupled with a large parking lot that can accommodate over a dozen tour buses, makes the coffee shop an ideal stop for tourist groups.
Free unlimited refill service
One of the best things about the Wangbo Coffee Shop is that not only can visitors have a fresh cup of aromatic coffee, but they can also get unlimited refills. It is one of the main reasons why this coffee shop has increased in popularity in recent years. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, it was common to see the coffee shop crowded with tourists and the parking lot packed with buses. It is a pity that the coffee shop has been temporarily closed due to the pandemic.
Distinctive furniture
Besides delicious coffee, this coffee shop features amazing wood furniture. The immense interior of the shop is furnished with many wood slab coffee tables, various tree stump chairs, and wood carvings. Some of them are made of Taiwan cypress, while others are made of wood imported from Brazil, Africa, and South America.
The solid wood slab coffee tables and tree stump chairs are in different shapes and a variety of colors. Visitors ofter admire the distinctiveness of this wood furniture. A couple of the giant slab tables even resemble a human foot. It’s quite an experience to sit on intriguing tree stump chairs around the rustic slab tables while sipping the signature coffee produced locally.
Nostalgic shop
Just opposite the Wangbo Coffee Shop is another establishment called the Nostalgic Shop (古早味). Here, visitors can buy locally produced agricultural products and other local delicacies.
The namesake for the township
Due to the increasing popularity of the locally grown Gukeng coffee beans, coffee shops have sprung up throughout the township. At its peak, there were over 100 coffee shops in this agricultural township. This unique coffee shop was named after the township’s ancient name, “Ān gǔ kēng (庵古坑),” and the namesake has helped the coffee shop stand out from its competitors.
Gukeng coffee
Gukeng is best known as the nation’s cradle of coffee cultivation, where Arabica coffee from Africa has been successfully planted under the auspices of the local government. The coffee produced in Gukeng has a unique flavor. Though it has a slightly sour and bitter taste, it quickly sweetens in the mouth, which is liked by many coffee connoisseurs.
To promote Gukeng coffee and local tourism, the Yunlin County Government has sponsored the Taiwan Coffee Festival annually over the past 18 years. With a variety of cultural and family fun activities, the Coffee Festival always attracts many people from across the country.
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