In April, 2014, Loulé council decided it would buy the Art Deco ‘Café Calcinha,’ down the road from the town hall, to ensure that the historic property would not be altered beyond recognition.
The deputy mayor at the time said the café was famous for its association with poet António Aleixo, that it dated from 1927 and was “a perfect replica of another one in Brazil."
The council approved the acquisition, saying Café Calcinha can be used to “boost the city centre.”
The moldings, wooden furniture, light fittings, shelving and mounted photographs made the café a local treasure and of architectural interest.
Three years later, the council plans to reopen the site as a "very interesting cultural attraction," according to the current mayor, Vítor Aleixo, who has yet to appoint a contractor.
Project architect, Jorge Rodrigues, said that much can be preserved, including tables and lighting but the serving area will change sides and the old kitchen and toilets will be brought up to modern standards.
The remodelling will cost the local ratepayers €150,000 as the site was in a poor state, not least because the council has left it empty for nearly three years.
See also: 'Loulé council to purchase local café' (April, 2014)
