Café Pamplona facts for kids
Café Pamplona was a special coffee shop located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Harvard Square. It opened in 1959 and was the very first café in that area. Its owner, Josefina Yanguas, even said it had the first espresso machine in the whole city! To get inside, you walked down a few steps past an outdoor patio. The café itself was underground. It had a simple but cool look with bright yellow lights, thick walls, and a black and white checkered floor. Café Pamplona was a beloved spot for many years.
Contents
History of Café Pamplona
Josefina Yanguas came to America in 1947. She designed Café Pamplona to be like the coffee shops in her hometown of Pamplona, Spain. She owned the café from 1959 until she passed away in 2007.
Early Days and Staff Changes
Soon after opening, Josefina and her chef, Juana Rodríguez, started serving food. As the business grew, Josefina used to hire only men. This was a common practice in Spain at the time. However, in 1999, this policy changed. A new manager hired Jenny Follen, who became the first female employee in the café's 40-year history. After that, the café began to hire people without focusing on gender.
Famous Visitors and Unique Art
Café Pamplona was a popular place for many different people. It attracted artists and writers, often called bohemians. It also drew many smart people from nearby Harvard University and the wider Cambridge community. Some famous people who visited the café included Al Gore and the musician Amanda Palmer.
Inside the café, there was a small painting on the wall. It was a fresco, meaning it was painted directly onto the wet plaster. A local artist named Conger Metcalf, who was a friend of the owner, created it in the late 1960s. Over the years, the painting's background turned yellow because of cigarette smoke. The café walls even needed repainting every four years due to the smoke. While the main person in the painting looked a lot like Josefina, she always said it wasn't her portrait.
Changes in Ownership
In December 2004, after 46 years, Josefina Yanguas decided to sell Café Pamplona. But she didn't find a buyer right away. So, in May 2005, she reopened the café. Josefina passed away on August 1, 2007, at the age of 90.
In 2006, a new owner named Nina Hovigimian took over the café. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses faced challenges. Nina Hovigimian shared that the café had to close because of the lockdown. This led to financial difficulties for the business. At that time, it was uncertain if Café Pamplona would be able to reopen its doors.
