Shop for Locally Designed Gifts Inside the Ximen Red House
The Red House in Wanhua District is one of the most iconic landmarks in Taipei. Founded as the first government-built public market in Taiwan, it’s undergone big transformations and restorations in its 110+ year history. The Red House opened its doors in 1908 during the Japanese occupation, and since then it’s functioned as a theatre, creative market, entertainment centre, and event space.
Today, the Red House is a cultural landmark and heritage site at the centre of the bustling Ximen shopping and nightlife scene. It reopened in 2018 to serve as a “reception area” of Taipei’s west side, complete with exhibits, a teahouse, theatres, and a boutique market. While it isn’t necessarily the go-to spot in the city for any of the above, it’s got enough historical charm, cultural relevance, and charming boutique shopping to make it worth a trip if you’re in the area.
Here’s what’s inside:
The octagonal-shaped section of the Red House is the most recognizable, and it functions as the main reception area of the building. The walls are painted with a timeline of historical dates tracking the evolution of the building (which you can read more about here).
There’s a small tea shop with a modest seating area that we haven’t tried. Next to it is a little shop selling Taiwan or Taipei-related miscellaneous items like magnets, keychains, calendars, mugs, jewellery, and notebooks. The quality (and price) is largely higher than what you will find in other tourist shops, with many of the items being designed by local artists. There are some really cool products that have tempted us on a number of occasions.
From the octagonal building, you can access the Creative Boutique. It’s a rectangular section of the building with 2 floors that house an eclectic mix of small shops.
The first floor of the Creative Boutique is packed full of an array of shops selling clothes, jewellery, bags, accessories, and more. The items on sale all have some sort of a Taiwanese connection — whether they showcase Taiwanese culture explicitly, or were simply created by a local designer. Again, expect to pay more here than you would at your average tourist shop, but for better quality and a more interesting product.
One particular shop that we like is Taiwanize, a local fashion brand. They sell T-shirts, shirts, and hoodies with funky Taiwanese designs. Their apparel is on the pricier side, but they use high-quality material and look fantastic.
Upstairs you’ll find more boutique shops selling a variety of products, including some odds and ends that could make good souvenirs. Not all of the stalls are full and at times you will find that the shop keepers have taken a break. You can skip this part, but if you don’t you’ll be able to see the whole of the first floor.
What’s the vibe?
Primarily a cultural landmark, the Red House is a reminder of Wanhua District’s long history set in the centre of Ximen’s bustling shopping and nightlife scenes. The inside has a polished and inspired atmosphere with an event space, teashop, and a market of boutique shops selling a wide variety of clothing, accessories, and miscellaneous items. Since everything on sale has a Taiwanese connection, the market is a good spot to find authentic keepsakes.
Worth it?
Why not? Even though we weren’t looking for a Taiwanese souvenir, the boutique shops were nice to browse, and the history painted on the walls piqued our interest. We like the idea of supporting local designers and artists instead of buying cheap plastic junk.
Would you go back?
Yes, but only to buy something specific or take visitors. It really is a great spot for souvenir shopping!
Visited: March 2019
| The Red House |
| Chinese Name: 西門紅樓 |
| Hours: Sun - Thurs: 11am - 9:30pm Fri & Sat: 11am - 10pm Closed Mondays |
| Phone: 02 2311 9380 |
| English Address: No. 10, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District |
| Chinese Address: 萬華區成都路10號 |
