In 1838, carpenter Joseph Mafsart had a house with a workshop built in Molenbeek, a type of building then common in the area. Almost a century later, a cabaret opened here under the name Café de la Colonne. Typical of its time, the interior reveals a large central space furnished with benches, a football scoreboard on the wall and display cases for trophies. In cold weather, a traditional stove warmed the room. In 1955, the establishment was renamed Café des Sports.
Since 1976, the premises have housed Café de la Rue, the home of the lifelong education association “La Rue”. The place reconnected with its earlier atmosphere and once again became a setting for popular celebrations and gatherings, but also for social claims and engagement.
This fine example of an authentic Brussels cabaret has preserved its original atmosphere and is now part of the local landscape. The venue where La Fonderie was born also serves today as an intimate setting for film shoots and monthly dinner shows. (Listed 09/07/2020)