Havana’s Cuatro Caminos Market, a Story Worth Telling

Esther Zoza

HAVANA TIMES – The historic Havana market, popularly known as “Plaza de Cuatro Caminos”, mentioned and praised by poets and writers as a place of enthusiastic and picturesque Cuban culture, will open its doors again in November, this time as a modern shopping mall.

That’s right my friends, the market where our parents and grandparents used to enjoy its famous Chinese soup, which Lezama writes about; enjoying a creole conversation, among the cries of sellers and the fluttering of poultry, with its smells, flavors, colors and sweat… will now become one of the capital’s shopping malls.

Located on the busy corner of Monte and Arroyo streets, our mall will have: A supermarket, an agro-market, and a brand-new store on the second floor. As well as a place where public and private sector employees will work side by side. Furthermore, customers will be happy with the 51 cash registers here, at least, designed to prevent crowds and the respective and typical outbursts.

Of course, this crowded shopping area will create a large number of jobs which will attract workers from the neighboring municipalities of Cerro, Central Havana and Old Havana, both for public and private sector work. Anyhow, I’m guessing the population won’t find the prices it used to have, because every time a place is done up or built to provide services, prices of products go up.

Many people are wondering, and with good reason too, how this giant shopping mall will be able to keep open given the current energy situation in the country. Or will it operate like other shopping malls which sometimes don’t have lights and electricity, or will it have solar panels like the government has announced?

Anyway, it’s an initiative I welcome as it will contribute to our people’s health by offering fresh produce, in the proper hygienic conditions we deserve.