Missisippi, USA

The Beginning

1982

Dorset, UK

The Next Venture

2017

Güicha, (pronounced GWEECHA) has a few more tales than your average bus.

Her first job was as a US Navy transport vehicle. Like many of her contemporaries, Güicha was replaced by a younger and stronger version and was driven down to Guatemala to start her second life as a chicken bus.

If you don’t know what a chicken bus is, they are a mode of transport unique to Guatemala. Retired buses from the US are painted up, given a “service” and run are as an alternative transport around the country. Google them, you’ll thank us because they are seriously cool.

Often subject to looting and raids, life as a chicken bus can be as perilous for the vehicle as it can for the passengers. The roads in Guatemala are little more than dirt tracks, teemed up with mountain terrain and heavy rainfall, it’s no wonder that so many of these buses come to unfortunate ends.

Enter Colonel Grumpy - an ex military attaché from England. He had her converted by local craftsman into her current comfinguration: a coffee shop.

Güicha still has the original seating as well as a hand-carved wooden bar and 6 tables. Once shipped back to the UK in 2005, Colonel Grumpy toured events and festivals serving coffee.

We - Paul, Gabi and Teddie - are the second family to have had the pleasure of being Guicha’s custodians. Our family-run café in Poole, The Lookout Cafe, is the base from which we make the food sold on-board. Most importantly among these are our Almost Famous Brownies (seriously, if you like chocolate you need these in your life).

We want to take Guicha around the UK through festivals and events, both private and public, so that we can see the world from a bright and fun standpoint. We are very open to collaboration of any kind so please do get in touch if you have any ideas.

As her manufacturer quite rightly points out, Güicha truly is International.