Three establishments in Loulé have become the first in the Algarve to be included in a new national platform called “Comércio com História”.
This platform was created by the national board of economic activities (DGAE) and aims to bring together businesses in Portugal that have an historic link to the town they are located in.
Although over 200 businesses have already been included in this network, only three of them are located in the Algarve – Mercearia Casa Portuguesa, Café Calcinha and Bafo de Baco.
Mercearia Casa Portuguesa – known locally as Mercearia do Batepézinho – is a grocery store that has served the local community since 1908. It has been based on Rua José Fernandes Guerreiro since 1965 and is a family business spanning three generations, offering its clients products that you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else. In 2011, it was renovated to meet today’s standards while maintaining its rustic charm.
Located in the centre of town, Café Calcinha is nearly 100 years old. The local council took over the café in 2016 when it was at risk of “closing for good”. It has since reopened and is today one of the town’s main attractions for those who want a taste of the town’s history. As the local council points out, the café was once a preferred establishment for many of the town’s most notable figures, including poet António Aleixo.
Last but not least, Bafo de Baco has been open since 1992 and has become one of the Algarve’s main live music venues, welcoming everything from local ‘garage’ bands to some of the biggest national bands and the occasional international act. Open on Wednesdays and Thursdays as a regular bar, it is on Fridays and Saturdays that it hosts a variety of live music performances.
