▁activity , ▁the ▁shop ▁was ▁open ▁by ▁Ad rian ▁T elles ▁to ▁import ▁and ▁sell ▁Brazil ian ▁coffee ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁then ▁a ▁r ar ity ▁in ▁the ▁households ▁of ▁Lis bon . ▁Over ▁time ▁the ▁space ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁meeting ▁point ▁for ▁intellect uals , ▁artists , ▁writers ▁and ▁free - th ink ers , ▁weather ing ▁financial ▁difficulties ▁and ▁becoming ▁a ▁tour ist ▁att raction , ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁another ▁coffee - shop . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁the ▁Hotel ▁Borg es ▁is ▁founded ▁along ▁the ▁Tra v essa ▁de ▁Este v ão ▁Gal h ardo , ▁in ▁the ▁proxim ity ▁of ▁the ▁Hotel ▁Universal ▁( in ▁the ▁old ▁Barcel in hos ▁Palace , ▁later ▁the ▁Chi ado ▁w are h ouses ). ▁The ▁space ▁is ▁success ively ▁operated ▁within ▁the ▁upper ▁flo ors ▁of ▁the ▁building , ▁while ▁a ▁shop ▁( oper ated ▁by ▁Ram iro ▁Le ão ) ▁function ed ▁on ▁the ▁main ▁floor . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁El ie ▁B én ard ▁inaugur ated ▁a ▁small ▁b ak ery ▁along ▁R ua ▁Gar ret ▁at ▁no . ▁ 1 0 4 - 1 0 6 , ▁while ▁the ▁Grande ▁Hotel ▁Borg es ▁continues ▁to ▁operate ▁under ▁its ▁propriet or ▁Ant ón io ▁Borg es ▁Are ias ▁( by ▁ 1 8 8 3 ). ▁ ▁The ▁A ▁Brasile ira ▁was ▁opened ▁by ▁Adri ano ▁T elles ▁on ▁ 1