Ferreteria, Havana

Since few limited companies were formed in Cuba after 1959, we can reasonably assume the ghost sign for ironmongery company Alba Ltd predates the triumph of the Cuban revolution. The 1949 edition of the Cuban phone directory lists a Ferretería Alba but in Calle Monserate. Maybe it moved to a new address at a later stage or the store in Calle Brasil was just a branch of the same company?
The Art Deco metal plaque above the door is worth a look.

Barely noticeable between the door and the metal shutter is another ghost sign. It says simply "Billar" ("Billiards") and was painted most certainly after the ironmonger's closed down. Was this a workshop where they made billiard tables, or simply a place where people could come and play? With the shutter closed, I couldn't check.

B i l l a r

Ferretería Alba S.A.

Location: Calle Brasil, Havana / Picture taken in April 2010