Maria do Álvaro

Stalls: 66-67-81-82

Maria is from Baião. Her father came to Gondomar to work as a farmer and brought his family with him. At that time, everyone helped to work the land. Later on, when Maria was 20 years old, her parents decided to start making "carretos", that is, home deliveries, and she would help them in their work: they would collect fresh produce from Mercado do Bolhão (vegetables, eggs, etc.), they would put them on wicker baskets, which they carried on their heads, and would deliver them to pastry shops and nearby restaurants. Sometime later, a "little stall" in the market became vacant and Maria's father, Mr. Álvaro, took it up for selling potatoes and onions. At a neighbouring stall, Maria was working as an employee of a lady who sold vegetables. Later on, when the owner of the stall she worked for decided to retire, Maria took over the business, the same one she has today, almost 50 years later.

Her stall is now in the name of her son, Paulo Ferreira, but it is still Maria do Álvaro and her daughter-in-law who take care of the family business.