The oldest barista in Italy is located in Piedmont: she opened her bar on May 1st, 1958

She still took care of her children, even while working tirelessly for 66 years. Today, at almost 100 years old, her dedication to her bar opened on May 1st, 1958, remains the same as ever: Anna Possi, Italy's oldest barista, recounted her life between work and family in an interview with Repubblica, making it clear that even this May 1st, the Bar Centrale in Nebbiuno, in the province of Novara, will remain open.

The centenarian barista in Piedmont

"Even when we opened," she told Repubblica, "we inaugurated without any fuss, just offering something to the customers. And no alcoholic drinks." The license arrived in 1971, meanwhile Anna served espressos and cappuccinos aplenty, working hard and keeping her head down, holding onto that economic independence that has always been dear to her and that, along with "service to others," gave her the strength to continue for a lifetime. First boarding school at the Marcelline, then teacher training college, before doing "a bit of everything in my family's boarding house and trattoria."

Open to the new generations

She has seen many young people behind her counter, observed the world of work evolve in many ways, always keeping up with the times: "It's not true that young people don't want to work, not all of them are lazy as they want to make you believe." She has always maintained an open mind and looks to young people with hope: she only moves her criticism towards wages, "they're not adequate, they're always too low for both men and women." On gender equality, she is clear, "every job must be dignified for everyone," and fortunately, she has never experienced discrimination, not even in the early days. "There are no differences between the sexes in work, and there shouldn't be any." On May 1st, 2024, the bar will celebrate its 66th anniversary, but don't dare to talk about a party: "We don't celebrate, we work."