After a nine months restauration work, the Uncle Louis Store building in San Nicolas has been inaugurated. The Monument Fund of Aruba (SMFA) who purchased and renovated the building handed over the key to the governmental department of Nature and Environment last Friday.
This monumental building was constructed in the fifties, designed by architect Jan Nagel in de so-called ‘Nieuw Bouwen’ style. The building used to be a fabric shop and they also sold fashion accessories. In the beginning of the nineties the government bought the building as an office for the customs. But for the last years the building had no function anymore and was abandoned. SMFA bought the building and started to restore it. The result is to be admired in San Nicolas. The Uncle Louis Store uses recycled water, has a green wall and energy is delivered by solar panels.
SMFA is engaged in the financing of restoration and maintenance, management and operation of protected monuments and is the financial institution in the field of heritage conservation. There are three organizations in Aruba that deal with everything that involves restoration, protection, maintenance and awareness of Aruban monuments: Monuments Council, Monuments Office and Stichting Monumentenfonds Aruba or SMFA. The latter achieves its goal by:
- Buying or acquiring, restoring, renting and maintaining monuments
- Encouraging awareness of monuments through photo contests, media, exhibitions, education, etc.
- Giving advice to monuments owners
For more information about SMFA or the Uncle Louis Store you may contact telephone number +297 582 4014 or visit Facebook Stichting Monumenten Fonds Aruba.
