History

NEIGHBORHOOD, GROCERY STORE, TRADITION

Lo De Silverio

History

SINCE 1903

Learn about the origins of the neighborhood and the grocery store, to discover the long-winded tradition of Lo de Silverio. So far back it goes, that the grocery store once visited by those children wearing white school uniforms, would decades later be visited by them as adults, wearing white hair, and with children of their own.

MIRAMAR NEIGHBORHOOD

It was located in the vicinity of the country villa named Villa Dolores, built in 1890. This pleasure villa belonged to the married couple Rossell y Rius-Pereira, who lived in Ciudad Vieja. The villa’s flashy feature of having a private zoo within its premises led to the entire area being called Villa Dolores.

Today’s Parque Batlle neighborhood, where Hospital Pereira Rosell is now located, was by then populated by indigenous fauna comprised by hares, rabbits, partridges, frogs and birds. Decorating the area, native flora featured a thick forest with palo verde trees, century plants and fennels, from which the rabbits fed.

The area had farms, country houses, meat-salting plants, and pork and birds breeding farms, as well as swamps that could pose a threat to inhabitants and animals. Green vegetables, fruits and animals provided several locals with their bread and butter.

Lo de Silverio’s history goes back to 1901, when auctioneer Francisco Piria sold plots of land located in an open field, with only a few modest houses, most made of zinc plates. This area, from where Pocitos beach could be spotted, was named Miramar.

THE GROCERY STORE

Almacén Miramar was the first grocery store in the area. Opened in 1903, it was located in a plot of land purchased by Silverio Novelli, which was at the current joint of streets Alejo Rosell y Ruis and 4 de Julio. This corner is not only linked to Mr. Silverio by the locals, but also to the Club Sportivo Miramar, created between 1912 and 1913, and named after the grocery store where its founders were regulars. The club was officially founded in 1915, when it joined the Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol.

Throughout the years, that grocery store would change its aspect, products and services until becoming Lo de Silverio, which preserves the spirit of the old grocery store by still being a meeting point and home to the local tradition.