After a long period of closure, Toko Merah is now open with its new name Rode Winkel, providing a vibrant way to stroll through its rich history while savouring good drinks and sumptuous food.
Since its construction in 1730, the historic building named Toko Merah has changed ownership several times, from the VOC, Chinese civilians, to PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (PPI), a state-owned company engaged in domestic and international trade. The nearly three-century-old building has been abandoned and unoccupied since 2003 when it was no longer PT PPI’s office. With its various stories of glory and darkness, many people are curious about the atmosphere inside. But on 1 November 2023, Toko Merah was resurrected and revealed itself as an aesthetically pleasing café called Rode Winkel, which is Dutch for red shop.
A businessman from Semarang who was interested in developing the building, turned Rode Winkel into a café that has not altered the building and its interior in the slightest so that visitors can enjoy the original visuals and atmosphere of Toko Merah. The Italian-made marble floor is retained, as are the door window frames and ceiling. In the main room, the atmosphere is airy despite the open partition that runs through the centre. The 30×10 metre room is not hot due to the high ceiling. In the right wing of the centre, there is room for cashiers to work in the VOC era with wide and large air vents. The use of the Toko Merah area as a café is only at the front, while the back and upper floors of the building are under development.
Toko Merah was originally the residence of Gustaaf Willem Baron van Imhoff when he was the second secretary of Hooge Regering (high government) as well as water fiscal (head of customs affairs). Van Imhoff later became governor-general of the VOC from 1743-1750. During this time, his luxurious house (Toko Merah) became the campus and dormitory of the Academie de Marine, which he pioneered and inaugurated on 7 December 1743. After Van Imhoff’s death on 1 November 1750, the academy was dissolved on 11 November 1755 by his successor governor-general, Jacob Mossel. The building later became a luxury hotel (heerenlogement) with successive owners.
During the heyday of the VOC, the building was strategically located in the heart of Batavia, adjacent to the City Hall (Sstadhuis) as the centre of government and the west bank of the Kali Besar (de Groote Rivier) as the business centre.
Toko Merah is a twin building or two houses under one roof. The front wall is made of unplastered bricks. According to historian Adolf Heuken in the Historical Sites of Jakarta, the red bricks on the surface of the front wall are not the original colour. The red colour began to be painted when the building functioned as a shop owned by a Chinese man, Oey Liauw Kong in 1851. Since then, red is typical colour of Chinese architecture, has dominated the building, including the frames, doors and windows, the interior and the front wall. Oey Liauw Kong died in December 1851, and the management of Toko Merah was continued by his descendants, Oey Hok Tjiang and Oey Kim Tjiang until 1895. And, in 1923, the building was restored by the Bank voor Indie.
To NOW! Jakarta, General Manager Rode Winkel Andreas Rizky said that the establishment of the cafe was also an effort to utilise and manage unused cultural heritage buildings. “Because it is in such an important historical area, we are preparing a programme of tours in Kota Tua so that visitors can learn about the history of Jakarta,” Andreas added.
Rode Winkel opens every day at 10 am to 10 pm (Monday to Friday) and at 7 am to 11 pm (on Saturday and Sunday).
Rode Winkel
Jl. Kali Besar Barat No. 11, Roa Malaka, Tambora, West Jakarta.
@rodewinkel.id
