OldTown Heritage Centre new landmark for tourism in Ipoh
By Zaki Salleh
IPOH: The largest halal kopitiam chain in Malaysia, OldTown White Coffee (OTWC), unveils yet another new tourist attraction in this city through the opening of the OldTown Heritage Centre on Jalan Panglima.
Unique to this centre is not just a place to enjoy coffee and delicious food, but it also serves as a unique tourism treasure for visitors to learn about the history of Ipoh’s white coffee development.
In conjunction with the opening of this heritage centre, the first OTWC Heritage Artist Collaboration Project was also inaugurated.
It was attended by several local artists, including renowned fashion designer Melinda Ooi and cartoonist Azmi Hussin.
This project is an initiative by OTWC to showcase local artists’ works that celebrate the development and growth of Ipoh’s white coffee industry.
Built as the latest symbol of OTWC, the OldTown Heritage Centre comprises three focal areas for all visitors.
Among the main attractions is a cafe with a ‘farm-to-table’ concept that offers unique tastes and new menus compared to other OTWC kopitiam concepts.
The focus of this cafe is ethical sourcing and sustainable operations through thorough research in the environmental field.
The heritage centre also features an art gallery showcasing artists’ works through the Heritage Artist Collaboration Project, in addition to an exclusive OTWC souvenir shop.
Dawn Liew, Chief Executive Officer of Kopitiam Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd., said the opening of this centre is hoped to inspire the public to cultivate a spirit of community and environmental conservation harmony.
“Because the location of this heritage centre is around a rich Heritage Trail with history, we need to maintain the uniqueness of this area, and we hope it can be reflected through the architecture of this building and our operational management.
“Through this Heritage Artist Collaboration Project are artists who have contributed their works to the OldTown Heritage Centre.
“Among them are Melinda Looi, a famous Malaysian fashion designer who designed the iconic brown coffee cup; Chin Choon Yau, a renowned mural painter from Ipoh who has painted over 300 murals depicting scenes of the city’s past.
“Other contributors such as Lim Pui Wan, an artist capable of creating small and realistic dioramas; versatile photographer Jeffrey Lim, and Azmi Hussin, a cartoonist and Malaysia’s record holder for the longest comic painting in the country,” she said.
