Galeria do Rock

 

escalators galore at Galeria do Rock. 

Galeria do Rock, officially Centro Comercial Grandes Galerias, is a shopping center located on Avenida São João, 439, between Rua 24 de Maio and Largo Paysandu. It was built in 1962, and opened in 1963.

For unknown reasons Grandes Galerias didn't 'catch up' and remained half-empty for more than 15 years. Then, when the downtown area had already descended into decay gallery 'took off' and now its shop-spaces are filled to capacity. It panders to young Blacks, punks, rock'n'rollers and other tribes.  

aerial view of Galeria do Rock taken by a drone.

Avenida São João, in 1962, while future Galeria do Rock was being built, between Cine Olido, on the corner of Rua Dom José de Barros and Cine Art Palácio. 

Trio Cristal, a musical group from Paraguay who made São Paulo their home pose for a photo inside Grandes Galerias which had just opened in 1963.

Galeria do Rock in the mid-1970s. 

looking out into Largo do Paisandú.

Grandes Galerias was projected by Alfredo Mathias, the same architect who designed Shopping Center Iguatemi, São Paulo's very first shopping mall.

Luiz Calanca, owner of 'Baratos Afins', a record-shop at Galeria do Rock, with a very special customer, Chrissy Hynde, of the Pretenders, some time in the 2010s.