The old stores “just for show” in Porto and Lisboa

In an article published in may of 2024, by jornal Público, it is addressed the changes within traditional stores in Porto and Lisboa. If, once upon a time, the stores would be highlighted by their tradition alongside the urban scenery, currently, they no longer refer to what they once were, even though their inaugural dates are a highlight in their facades.

An example is café Progresso, inaugurated in 1899 and that is promoted (in English) as “the oldes cafe in town”, even though it not longer possesses the same direction or identity that made it popular, which brings us to discussion related to gentrification and constant changes in the urban space.

Image: Café Progresso (Porto) in 2009, by Manuel de Sousa (CC BY-SA 3.0)