It starts at “Nayden Gerov” Street, passes the Television Center, crosses the Main Street and “Otets Paisiy”, and then exits at “Tsar Boris Obedinitel” Blvd., where it ends before continuing on the other side to “Mitropolit Panaret” Street. It is named after the last Patriarch of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
Perhaps the most remarkable building on this street is the former Balkan Cinema, which, until not too long ago, was one of the most important meeting points in Plovdiv. The original design by Sofia architect Konstantin Panayotov from 1939 was stunning – the building was lower than today, with a large terrace and a pastry shop on the top floor offering magical views of the Rhodope Mountains. During socialism, the building was extended, and the terrace was destroyed. Later, the site became popular for bingo halls and casinos. Currently, it houses not only the bingo hall, McDonald’s, and Dreams but also numerous offices on the upper floors, some of which preserve the original architecture. In the memory of Plovdiv residents, the building is associated with a figure named Pavleto, who mainly dealt with renting and had a concession for the cinema's use.
We learn more about the other houses on this street from the memories shared by Plovdiv residents in one of the popular Facebook groups – “Bay Ivan Karachomaka”.
The first building on the right in the photo housed a store for photo materials, and where the taxi stand was, there was the so-called Vakaf Building. Below it was Pepo Garti, where mechanized children's toys were sold.
Further down was the office of the Advertising Bureau, created in the 1960s. Next were a jewelry workshop, the "Emperors" café, and the reception office of the Glas newspaper. It was located at number 16, and every morning, locals who couldn't purchase the newspaper would gather there to read about the city's happenings from the window display.
Another notable building on “Patriarch Evtimii” Street was the former Bulgaria Hotel, built in the early 1930s by Dr. Koicho Koev. In 1957, it became part of the state-owned enterprise Balkantourist, and a new wing and restaurant were added.
Close to the hotel was the Kamenitsa Brewery owned by Bay Hristo Petsov, where in the early 1940s, a Serbian singer named Mitsa performed. Next came the "Narodnyak’s Tavern" owned by an exceptional chef known for his delicious white wine. If you ordered just a bottle, you'd say, “a horse”, and if it was with soda, you'd say, “horse and cart”. Right next to the hotel was the Tomasian pharmacy.
Next to it was the house of Bay Pano – Dimitar Panov, the great Bulgarian actor. On the corner, there was a shoemaking workshop owned by one of the best manufacturers of women's boots – Bay Gicho. His daughter was the famous violinist Arnaudova of the Plovdiv Opera.
The street also had a barbershop, which before the war was called "London" and was owned by an Armenian, Ervant Manukyan. After the war, the sign was flipped, and "London" became "Drivers' Meeting Point" as it became a gathering spot for drivers. Directly opposite was the herbal shop of Mrs. Nadezhda Karamitreva, owned by Dr. Gradinarov.
Most of the properties on the left side of the street were owned by Andon Stanev, Kutsoulu, and Dr. Gradinarov. Overall, four generations gathered along this street, and all relatives and friends knew each other well.
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