【Sunday Slow Moments】Wodii Coffee Apartment, a Cozy Spot to Unwind

Akang, the owner of Wodii Coffee Apartment, once worked in marketing and planning in Taipei. When he decided to return to Taichung to open a café, he initially targeted busy, high-traffic areas based on his previous experience — but couldn’t find a suitable spot. One day, he wandered into Teachers’ Village by chance and fell in love with the warm community feel. He asked around about rental properties and learned that a house had long been leased to students from out of town — students who were about to graduate.

Akang successfully convinced the landlord and rented the property after the students graduated. Guided by a “less is more” philosophy, he began renovations by removing excess items before gradually adding others. As Akang enthusiastically transformed the old house into a café, neighbors warned him against what they saw as a fool’s errand, saying every business in the area had failed. Eventually, however, the neighbors came around and were convinced he’d succeed.

Step inside, and you’ll find that what used to be the courtyard has been enclosed with walls and windows. Behind the window-facing bar counter seats sits a wooden tea table with a rotary dial phone, flanked by a yellow-upholstered antique leather sofa and a traditional cupboard along the wall, with shelves displaying books and ornaments. Akang says this is the spot guests love to photograph the most because it feels like home.

 

Walk into the former living room, now located in front of the work counter. Two gray sofas sit snugly next to an iron lattice window with its glass panes removed, creating an airy, open feel. Walk along the corridor, up the stairs, and you’ll enter another space where a green sofa and a vanity — both part of a friend’s mother’s dowry — are placed. Originally stored away in the friend’s old home in Kaohsiung, which was soon to be demolished, the friend offered them to Akang. Upon seeing the vintage furniture again, the friend was flooded with childhood memories and urged Akang to take good care of them.

Going up to the second floor, the first room is a tatami seating area — a change made necessary due to damaged flooring, but one that adds a cozy, no-shoes-required space. The room next to the balcony features a large table, perfect for group gatherings.

 

Akang says he chose to open a coffee shop because he loves the atmosphere they offer, and believes that enjoying a comfortable cup of coffee is a simple joy. A coffee enthusiast himself, he interned at a friend’s café to gain experience, further solidifying his decision. Throughout the journey, he relished the entire process — from planning to execution — and hopes to share his aesthetic here: blending vintage pieces seamlessly into a modern setting, allowing old and new to coexist without distinction.