Address: No.163, Zhongshan Road, Lukang Township, Changhua County
Tel. no.: 04-7772163
Business hours: 11:00-18:30
Facebook page:Skinny Cafe 瘦子咖啡•鹿港大街
Most shops in Lukang are founded by those returning or moving here, but Skinny Cafe, originally from Changhua City, was invited to join the Kids from Lukang Street Creative Base. This building is the ancestral home of the Cai Dun-Bo family of dye merchants. Through meticulous revitalization, the old house’s beautiful appearance of the past has been restored as a unique multi-functional space. The first floor houses Skinny Cafe and a local cultural and creative shop, while the second floor is used for lectures and performances. The aim is to create new experiences in an old house for visitors to Lukang.
Skinny Cafe is a specialty coffee shop and roastery established in Changhua City in 2015 and has gained community popularity for its expertise. Chris, the owner of Skinny Cafe, stated, “I love making coffee, but more so, I love interacting with people. Conversations with customers often bring inspiration, and a lot of times, I become friends with customers.” One such customer-turned-friend is Chang Ching-Yeh, who invited Chris to open a shop in Lukang. They met in 2016, and Chris gradually learned about the Kids from Lukang and their local revitalization efforts. They even participated in a market event in Huashan1914 in Taipei in 2019, leading to the opportunity to open a shop in Lukang.
“At the end of 2021, the Kids from Lukang mentioned that they found a great space and asked if I was interested in opening a shop here. I didn’t agree right away,” Chris explained his cautious consideration regarding opening a branch. After running an independent coffee shop for a while, bottlenecks emerged. As Chris intended to provide future prospects for his team, opening a branch, although challenging, became necessary. He had concerns about unfamiliarity with Lukang and funding, but he considered the Kids from Lukang as reliable partners, capable of handling local cultural and historical aspects. Learning in this aspect was something Chris wanted to pursue as well, so it seemed like a great opportunity, and he decided to open the branch in Lukang. Despite some delays in the renovation of the old house due to the pandemic, the shop was officially launched in February 2023.
Post-opening, the main challenge has been the significant difference in customer flow between weekdays and weekends, along with varying customer types, requiring ongoing adjustments to the day-to-day operation. Compared to the first shop in Changhua City, “Lukang’s customers are mostly tourists who are more included to order hand-brewed specialty coffee. They typically use the cafe as a rest stop, quickly moving on after a coffee break, with a higher proportion of takeout orders,” Chris described the Lukang customer demographic. In response, he adjusted the business hours and planned to introduce new products like siphon coffee that complement the old house’s ambiance.
Financially, Chris has made a firm commitment. There’s no turning back since he started his own business. Determined to push forward, he relied on his perseverance, and within three months, Skinny Cafe gained recognition on Lukang Street. Coupled with occasional cultural and performance activities, even the elders in the neighborhood commended the innovative use of the old house.
This article is from the Lukang Chronicle II: Lukang Renaissance.
Lukang Chronicle II: Lukang Renaissance is a local magazine from Lukang, documenting the growth and transformation of the Kids from Lukang and their local business partners over the past six years. Stemming from the concept of environmentally friendly festivals, the initiative has crossed paths with many young people who have returned or moved to Lukang to live and start businesses. This collective effort has enriched contemporary life in Lukang. On the foundation of the town’s nostalgia and traditions, a lifestyle unique to the new generation has flourished
