Our story

Our corner of Pietermaai

Mr. Porter sits in one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Willemstad. Pietermaai takes its name from captain Pieter de Meij and was built from 1675 onwards, just outside the old city walls. A strip of some 500 metres was deliberately left open, so the cannons of Fort Amsterdam had a clear line of fire.

The district grew into a mix of grand merchant houses and modest homes. In 1877 the hurricane known as Pundi struck Curaçao, and Pietermaai was hit hardest of all: entire stretches were swept away by the waves.

From the 1970s the neighbourhood fell into decline and many of the old houses stood empty. Then came the turnaround. Building by building, Pietermaai was restored, and in 1997 it became part of Willemstad’s UNESCO World Heritage site. Today it is the liveliest district on the island.

Nieuwestraat 42

In 1864 Gerrit Sjoerd Ponne bought this plot between the Waaigat and his properties in the Vischsteeg. According to old documents, the house we know today was built between 1864 and 1873. His son-in-law later sold it to the Curiel family, who in turn sold it to Enrique Keijzer in 1928.

The ground floor of this mansion served as a place of business, with a home upstairs. The Cuales cabinetmakers had their workshop downstairs, and in 1948 barber Primitivo Lluveres opened his shop here. In 1981 he sold the building to Maximo Ramon Thielman.

In 2001 the neo-classical building changed hands once more and was restored to its former glory. Café de Nachtwacht opened its doors, and later Miles Jazz Cafe took over, growing into one of the most popular cafés on Curaçao until the Covid years.

On 1 November 2020 Mr. Porter opened its doors, and the music stayed. Every Wednesday the Rhodes Sessions revolve around our 1973 Fender Rhodes, and on Saturdays Live on the Corner brings live bands to Mr. Porter. Come by and become part of the story.