At 90 years old, Vasconcelos Lopes hopes to spend more time with his wife and thanks São Vicente for welcoming him

On this particularly symbolic anniversary, Vasconcelos Lopes also makes no secret of his deep gratitude toward the people of São Vicente, the island that welcomed him when he arrived from Brava, his homeland, at the age of just 14. More than seven decades later, he acknowledges that he could hardly have imagined the path he would come to follow in what has become his second home.

“I never imagined I would walk this path and be here today celebrating nearly a century of life in this land that welcomed me so warmly and that deserves all my gratitude,” says the businessman, who has built a career in investment across various sectors, including imports, insurance, banking, and hospitality. His appreciation is so deep that, if he could make one wish for this celebration, it would be to organize a grand party on Rua de Lisboa, in the heart of Mindelo, to welcome all the people of Mindelo with open arms. It would be a way to symbolically repay the affection and hospitality he says he has received throughout his life in São Vicente.

Since that dream cannot be realized, the celebrations will take place at the Porto Grande Hotel, where he will blow out 90 candles surrounded by family and friends. Some of them made a point of traveling all the way from Portugal just to give him “that hug.” He admits, however, that at first he wasn’t very keen on celebrating the occasion. His priority was to stay by his wife’s side, as she is ill. He eventually gave in to the insistence of his children and friends, especially after learning that the preparations to mark the occasion were practically complete.

At 90, Vasconcelos Lopes considers himself a happy man and is grateful to God for the family he has built and for the success he has achieved in the business world. Far from viewing his age as a reason to slow down, he continues to oversee the business on a daily basis, paying close attention to the operations of the commercial establishments scattered throughout São Vicente.

Retirement, he assures us, is not part of his plans. Even though he is not a fan of new technologies, he has found his own way to monitor the stores’ operations. “Since I’m not a fan of new technologies—which let us have everything at our fingertips on a screen—I receive printed reports every day to analyze all the stores’ transactions,” he explains.

His company currently operates eight wholesale and retail locations in São Vicente, where it provides approximately 200 jobs. When asked about the possibility of expanding the mini-markets’ presence to other islands in the archipelago, the businessman clarifies that he chose to concentrate the physical locations in São Vicente. He considers this a sound strategy, as it allows him to monitor and manage the business more easily, even though he has customers spread throughout the country.

In fact, his intention is to keep working as long as his physical strength allows. Vasconcelos Lopes believes that staying active and engaged in his profession has also helped him reach the age of 90 in good health and high spirits. Between his family, his business, and the friendships he has built over decades, the businessman reaches this age with a sense of fulfillment, yet without forgetting what he considers truly essential: having his wife by his side and continuing to receive the affection of the people who have been part of his journey. And when the time comes to depart, he assures us, he will carry with him, in his heart, all the gratitude and affection of the people of São Vicente.

Mindelinside