Every day, just after 7 a.m., Christos Vanas lifts the shutters of his beloved café, “The Mulberry Tree,” in Athens’ Exarchia neighborhood—long before most nearby shops open. One of the first sounds on the pedestrian street is the clatter of chairs and tables being set out on the pavement. He checks supplies, ensures there’s enough meze for the midday beer and afternoon siesta crowd, and picks up newspapers for the still-closed grocery store across the street. All the while, he waits for the first customer’s order of Greek coffee.
A Legacy Rooted in History
Vanas has followed this routine faithfully since 1982. “I chose this life on my own—I loved this work,” he tells Orange Press Agency. His café, nestled in the Upper Exarchia district, offers shelter and familiarity to those worn down by daily life.
Though Vanas is nearing half a century behind the counter, “The Mulberry Tree” runs even deeper in time: it opened its doors in 1915—just nine years after Kallidromiou Street was incorporated into Athens’ official city plan in 1906. The café sits at the intersection of Kallidromiou and Charilaou Trikoupi streets, and predates even Exarchia’s famous open-air market, which moved to the area from Stournari Street in 1949.
Through its windows, generations have watched modern Greek history unfold—its triumphs, fractures, and quiet turning points—often recounted by elders seated inside.
From Café to Pharmacy?
Vanas is the seventh owner-barista in the café’s long lineage. But growing concern suggests he may also be the last. Recent news from the building’s landlord confirmed plans to convert the space into a pharmacy—a move that has sparked alarm among regulars and cultural advocates alike.
There are already two pharmacies on Kallidromiou Street—and several more on Charilaou Trikoupi. What Exarchia needs, patrons argue, isn’t another dispensary, but a rare kind of place: a living meeting point that bridges eras and generations, preserving continuity in a rapidly changing city.
A Community Rallies
Thousands have signed petitions calling for the café’s protection as a listed heritage site. “I’ve lived so many beautiful memories here—and now I’m fighting, because I love this café so much, to have it officially recognized as protected,” says Vanas, speaking against a backdrop of vintage photographs from past gatherings at “The Mulberry Tree.” Sketches by local artists line the walls—including one by Stathis depicting a mulberry tree, with the word ‘τέλος’ (‘end’) faintly visible beneath it—a poignant, unfinished statement echoing the café’s uncertain future.