Remember the days when Butcher’s Row and Fishmongers Lane actually did only have butchers and fishmongers, well in Lisbon those days still exist for some streets. We were waiting for the no28 tram when I noticed that all of the shops opposite were haberdashers, we were on ‘Haberdashery Street’. 
Standing at the tram stop looking across the haberdashers we suspected that many of them had been there for quite a few years. We were thinking 30 maybe 50 years at the time. We were a quite bit off with our estimate though, I’ve since discovered quite a few of them have been open for over 100 years! So I thought quite appropriate that I share Lisbon’s ‘Haberdashery Street’ as part of Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge today.
Reading the street and telephone directories I think the Portuguese word for haberdashers is retrosaria but I’m not 100% sure as online translators mention camiseiro. If you know, please do leave a comment below. It wasn’t only the Art Deco retrosaria that caught my eye, spotted this stunning shopfront on another street.
Before I go I have one tiny thing to admit to you. Haberdashery Street isn’t actually called that – it is Rua da Conceição so named because of its proximity to the Church of Conception. I should probably also admit there are also other types of shops on this road! However this is the first time I’ve ever come across a row of haberdashers and ‘haberdashery’ is such a great word I simply had to rename the street! If you would like to see an original photographs of one of the shops do follow the link above, it will take you to a great blog of Lisboa with photographs from the 1900’s.
These are beautiful street gallery! Thank you so much for sharing, Becky. 🙂
Thank you so much Amy, so much fun sharing 😊
They are beautiful and really lend themselves to black and white, Becky. 🙂 Makes me rather wish I had Lisbon planned soon.
Love to go back soon myself – thank you for your lovely comments 😊
Love your poetic license for your stories. As an American, I love the word ‘haberdashery’ – I feel I can make up my own definition, as I have no idea what the word really means (well, having read the comments, now I do know.) The street itself looks like a delight.
I love the American version too of ‘notions’ 😊 I’d never have worked out that usage!
Terrific entry for this week’s challenge. Have a great weekend.
Thank you Cee, had been pondering for ages how best to use these and your excellent challenge showed me how 😊
And yes you are right “retrosaria” is the name in Portuguese 🙂
Turtle Hugs
Thank you so much for confirming 😊
You’re most welcome 🙂
Great word, always makes me think of “Are You Being Served?”
Ground floor:
Perfumery, stationery, and leather goods, wigs and haberdashery, kitchenware and food. Going up…
Hee hee! Loved that programme 😀
the equivalent US word ‘notions’ means needles, threads, buttons etc.
Ooh I like that usage
I’d love it there, but it would be best if I left my purse at home!
Hee hee!!
I also like haberdashery as a word and have great fun exposing Americans to it. If you have no idea what it is, you can’t possibly guess it.
That’s so true 😊