The well-loved bakery and café that used to sit in a convenient corner of the known tourist street of Dong Khoi is now reduced to torn-down ruins and unrecognizable traces of the once stylish, well-decorated, French-style structure. A time-honored café, restaurant and patisserie that serves a delectable range of baguettes, pastries, well-prepared dishes and great-smelling coffee, Givral have graced the known block in District 1 since 1950, and since the very day it stood, have pleased the taste buds of thousands of locals and tourists.

Even during the periods of war in the country, Givral used to be the meeting place of international journalists; and famous people like the renowned English author and literary critic, Graham Greene, and Vietnam’s legendary spy Pham Xuan An frequent the place. But more of the fondest memories confined within the then walls of Givral were from locals who lived their whole lives used to having the bakery a part of it. People who used to work in the place not only lost their jobs but also years of their lives they have devoted to the lovely place when it closed down on April 2. Most of the pain they felt when they emptied the building to prepare it for demolition didn’t come from losing their jobs but from seeing a valuable city landmark crumble into pieces.

Many more ached when Givral was knocked down. Though the newspaper vendor who sells his papers right in front of Givral have more days ahead of him to continue his trade, things are so much different now that his friends from the bakery across have left, along with the many people who come just to seek the place itself. For many other Saigonese, the bakery is part of their daily lives and even of their most memorable moments. A favorite place to buy birthday cakes and a rendezvous for special occasions, many feels betrayed that something that holds a special place in their hearts is snatched from their grasps with nothing worthy to take its place that holds as much significance in their lives.

For many, sitting in the booths by the window of Givral café is a great opportunity to relax and take a quick break from the fast and noisy life on the streets right outside the window you watch from. The friendly, easy to find place is also an excellent people-watching spot. Its great location allows you to snoop on the multitude of passers-by as you savor your heart-warming Givral-prepared plate. Now, all the wonderful things people love about the place would just remain a part of history confined in photos and write-ups, or in the hearts and minds of those who did treasure Givral as something more than just a place to buy pastry and cakes.

From the very day its building was hollowed out, locals and foreigners alike came by to take photos of the empty walls, paints chipping away from it, and its entirety beginning to fall apart due to its quite aged existence. And one of the very photos they took became the very last glimpse of Givral. Indeed, twelve days after vacated, people watched and held their breaths as Givral was demolished. Every pounding sound as the walls are torn down breaks the hearts of spectators as their hopes of keeping more of the well-loved place start to vanish before their eyes.

Making Way For Development

The demolition of Givral was intended to make way for urban development. The entire block bordered by Dong Khoi, Le Thanh Ton, Nguyen Hue and Le Loi streets that cradled the famous bakery along with Xuan Thu bookstore, Passage Eden, and a slew of other historic buildings, will be replaced with a new mega-developed commercial complex of shopping centers, high-end apartments, hotels and an underground parking lot.

For many city planners and developers, the move to replace the old dilapidated buildings with newer and more modern projects is to spruce up the city’s image to look more polished. For people who want to hold on to the old, dirty buildings with half-hanging walls and several other infrastructure problems, no matter how much these places hold significant hallmarks in their memories, life has to move on.

But Many People Believe Otherwise

The Saigonese and others concerned are debating over whether or not enough was done to preserve historical landmarks as the city makes its way to modernization. Many believe that even though Givral could be old, the city should at least replace it with something similar in structure, but with a more modern look and architecture. With the city’s guidelines for planners on not putting up structures taller than the city hall in areas considered historical, it may be a bit encouraging. Perhaps Givral can take its old spot in the new building. However, that isn’t the case at all in the developers’ blueprint for the new project.

Others argue that if they intend to turn ${bigcity_Ho_Chi_Minh_City:”Saigon”} into a modern city, efforts should be done to preserve anything that represents the city’s history. Sadly, for something not officially recognized as historical, the expectations of many are difficult to meet. Many Saigonese still hang on to their fond memories of Givral, and for them, whatever they will put up in place of the much-loved bakery could never give them the same feeling of belonging the same way Givral did. They could even try to put up a new café and bakery on that same spot. But whether it could replace the value of Givral in people’s memories and lives, many doubt it.