The lady of the Suissa Gallery

During my wanderings through the commercial galleries of Curitiba downtown, at Suissa gallery, I have spotted this lady of extreme elegance taking care of this little shop that makes copies of keys. I made a discrete movement showing my intention to take her picture to which she responded with a slight and polite nod. Since I was in a hurry, I did not had the opportunity to meet her, but one day I will be back to meet her properly.

Tonight we will embark for a period of 15 days of vacation. If all goes well, at our destination, I will keep posting, but to make things easier for me, I will post about one topic only: The Barigui Park. On a cold Sunday morning I visited the park and got astonished by its beauty and I took a lot of beautiful photographs that I will share with you next days.

The commercial galleries of Curitiba: Asa and Osório galleries.

ASA GALLERY

The Asa Gallery is the only one with three access points: by Osório Square, Voluntários da Pátria Street and Dr. Carlos de Carvalho Street. I have lived at Asa Building for over 12 years, so this gallery is the most familiar for me. Hairdressers, Pubs, Travel Agency, a variety stores and three blocks (residential and commercial) guarantee a huge daily movement for the gallery. One of its most known trustees was Dr. Zarur (deceased), responsible for the peculiar visual which remains in the gallery. The gallery opened in 1954.

OSÓRIO GALLERY

Gallery General Osorio has 33 stores such as beauty salon, internet café, antique shops, natural products, computer shop, optics, clothing, jewelry and Xerox copies. It links the Osorio Square to Dr. Carlos de Carvalho Street. I remember that at this gallery a huge remote control car model trail existed, which was mounted where there is now a food court. In this gallery operated the barber shop (which no longer exists) that my father attended for decades until his death his barber. The oldest merchant of Osório Square is Mr. Nelson Lehmkhul for over 35 years repairing watches in place.The building belongs to the Demeterco family, neighbor and former owner of the still existing Mercadorama.

The commercial galleries of Curitiba: Ritz and Minerva Galleries

MINERVA GALLERY
I am not sure, but I think the gallery was named after an old Minerva Pharmacy that used to exist on its entrance. The Minerva Gallery is smaller and wider than the others, and therefore, very well lit.

RITZ GALLERY
It is the only gallery with two levels (a stair connects both levels). There a great myriad of services is offered: notary, tourist agencies, clothing stores, bank, clinics and more. There even a karate academy existed, whose sensei was my physical education teacher at college.

The commercial galleries of Curitiba: Tijucas Gallery

The Tijucas Gallery (Luiz Xavier Avenue, 68) is the best known and frequented gallery in Curitiba not only by the notary Marques (opened in the 60s) or to be the access to the the commercial and residential building which gives its name to the gallery, but also because it is the Boca Maldita’s gallery and offer its official coffee at “Cafe da Boca”, which was opened in 1965.

Who lives in Curitiba long, must remember that every day at dusk, a lawyer at the window of his office, used to offer to the city a trumpet presentation. Those who lived close by have become accustomed to that sound and it was very common to see people standing under Tijucas, looking for the musician.

The gallery offers lawyers office, medical clinic, dental, pharmacy, real estate, cafeteria, lottery, shop for perfume, cosmetic, seamstress and tailor, in fact, the only tailor I ever visited in Curitiba used to work in this building. The Tijucas since the 70’s as a bastion of tailors. Among them we will still find Mr. Ferdinando Nardelli, a 74 years old tailor, working at Tijucas since 1958. There are only 18 taylors still working at Tijucas.

The commercial galleries of Curitiba: Suissa Gallery

I will start today a series about the commercial galleries of Curitiba downtown. For nearly 20 years I lived in downtown and it is virtually impossible to move through the city center without passing through, stop and get some product or service offered by these galleries, which may be considered without a shadow of doubt, the forerunners of the malls in Curitiba. The diversity of products and services is larger than in a mall, the space is democratic, the prices are competitive and compared to other street stores, it is safer.

There are dozens of galleries in Curitiba, but here I will address only those which is or were part of my life and my history, spaces where I have circulated on the way home from college, from my English school or from anywhere else.

These galleries were considered by the main newspaper of Curitiba (Gazeta do Povo), another among the “50 reasons to love Curitiba”.

Suissa Gallery.
The Suissa Gallery (Marechal Deodoro Street, 262), has electric supply store, restaurant, money exchange, tourism agency, computer shop, health and beauty products, clothes (men and women), electronics, jewelry, home and garden shop, office and school supplies, food, games.

Been a reference point for any resident in Curitiba, the Suissa Gallery was opened in October 12th, 1962, at that time known as Alberto Bolliger Gallery, serving only one store: The Casa Suissa, selling appliances, furniture, toys and electrical equipment. The store still remains in the gallery, selling electrical equipment under the administration of another family. The Bolliger family administrate gallery as a whole. Since 1977 the gallery was open to other stores.