El Conde Street seems to be noisy with all the commercial establishments and people going around from one place to the other, but among all those many places, one of them conceals behind its door a life full of social gatherings: La Cafetera.

During the first five minutes, nothing was attractive enough to think of writing something of that establishment, nothing made me think that this was a place with charm, but everything changed with a single question at the other side of the counter. "Who is asking about the owner?" He was Dionisio Pichardo, the painter (that we knew it later). That man who was a frequent visitor who almost lived in that establishment, because long ago he had its atelier at the rear side of the place. He started chatting and captivated us. He told us that Franco Sagredo, the owner was sick and from that very moment the conversation turned into a trip into the past.

Its History La Cafetera was set up in 1930 by Benito Paliza, an emigré of Basque origin and a pioneer in coffee roasting in the Dominican Republic. It was him that moved by his passion for culture, promoted the social gatherings in his establishment while tasting a cup of coffee of El Negrito, the trade brand of his own roasting place. It seemed that at that time the meetings were scheduled according to the topic. Amado Julián Bada, his second owner, sold the place to the Italians Lamolia and Forestieri who worked there for a couple of years and ended up selling the place to a man by the surname of Trifilio.Trifilio joined in partnership with Juan Manuel de Franco Sagredo, the present owner because Trifilio left to Puerto Rico in 1953. Forestieri who worked there for a couple of years and ended up selling the place to a man by the surname of Trifilio. Trifilio joined in partnership with Juan Manuel de Franco Sagredo, the present owner because Trifilio left to Puerto Rico in 1953. Franco Sagredo only thought to have the place for two years to raise some money, but he liked it, and it's being 46 years now since he bought it. Many important figures of culture and important intellectuals of the Dominican Republic have visited La Cafetera and interesting anecdotes make up its history. Also Spanish emigrés used to attend the place and recalled their homeland for hours while drinking a smoky cup of coffee. La Cafetera was situated before where Manolito store is at present, but it was sold to Fernando Ricart and Franco Sagredo who moved it to the location where is found today. Many difficulties have been faced by this man, since the location was an asset of the Banco Hipotecario Dominicano, he was about to lose it two years ago. All its customers, faithful and frequent attendants to the social gatherings joined by the many hours spent together drinking coffee and chatting, helped to save the place for the joy of everybody. After this success, Sagredo kept the place and to celebrate the event, made a restaurant that has the original elements of the establishment when it was founded, Dionisio R. Pichardo participated in it. After some hours sitting down in a stool, I felt fortunate to have had the possibility to share a friendly talk in a place that invites you to do so and thus participating in a tiny and insignificant space of its rich life.