Flashback Friday

Caffe’ Sport (est. 1956) now Bar Sport situated at 2a Norton Street close tot the intersection with Parramatta Road Road, opened as a coffee lounge in 1956. It is reportedly the first italian – style coffee lounge (in Italian, bar) in the area. Over the years Caffe Sport has achieved trendy statu, something that Rafaello Raffaelli it’s first proprietor and the person who named it, could never have imagined.

Raffello is originally from Bolzano, near the Austrian frontier with Italy.

Around the mid- 1950s, one of Raffaello’s sisters told him of a shop for sale in in Norton Street, close to tthe Parramata Road intersection. Back in the day it was half a fruit shop and half a milk bar. LaPavoni was the only coffee-making machine imported from italy at that time. small espresso cups and cappacino cups did not exist. Small espresso cups and cuppuccino cups did not exist so he made do.  From 1983 – 2000 the Turco’s family ran Bar Sport. From 2000 Joe Napoliello whose family originates from Salerno have continued the tradition of Bar Sport, as they are in italydecked with a score board of Soccor scores a lunchtime menu good coffee and a vibey atmosphere.

 

 
Caffe SportOutside Caffe Sport 1973 Cafe Sport-1Ralph Rafaello 1956
Bar Sport 2011 Photograph by Amie Zar 2011
Photograph by Amie Zar

Joe Napoliello Photograph by Amie Zar

 

Picture of the week

– Leichhardt Post Office, built in 1888 and Leichhardt’s iconic Town Hall, built the same year on Norton Street were a source of great municipal pride when opened; the suburb, many thought, had truly ‘come of age’. The opening of  Leichhardt’s Town Hall drew a crowd of 5 000.

Photo ca 1907.

Related Links

http://www.sydneyarchitecture.com/LEI/LEI.htm