Ca d'Oro Coffee Lounge

Opened in 1957 on Customs Street West in the Auckland CBD, it was one of the city's first coffee bars and a well-known site within the local LGBT community.The Ca d'Oro was opened in 1957 by actor Harold Kissin and Memé Churton, a well-known personality in the arts sector,[3][4][5] on Customs Street West.[8] Consequently, the Ca d'Oro would operate from 9am-12am, and would avert the strict liquor laws by serving alcohol in coffee cups after-hours.[7][9] In particular, the Ca d'Oro was popular amongst gay men due to its proximity to the wharf, and the presence of visiting sailors looking for sexual encounters.It was also within close proximity to other well-known queer spaces of the time, such as the Blake's Inn on Vulcan Lane and the Lilypond on Queen Street.
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