LX Factory: The Discerning Hipster’s Consumerist Dream

Set inside the sprawling confines of a former manufacturing complex in Alcântara is the LX Factory: a collection of almost painfully cool shops, galleries, restaurants, and offices. We spent an entertaining afternoon poking around the merchandise, browsing a stunning bookstore, and grabbing drinks at a bar on top of the factory.

LX Factory

The LX Factory occupies the former “Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos Lisbonense”, established in 1846. The 23,000 square meter site sat for years in disuse, until its industrial charms were discovered by young entrepreneurs looking for an affordable, cool place in which to work. We’ve seen the same thing in other former manufacturing centers; the old RCA building in Montreal springs to mind, as does the Santral?stanbul and (on a smaller scale) Djupavík’s herring factory, in Northern Iceland.

As even occasional readers of our blog will know, Jürgen and I react allergically to the hipster aesthetic. But we’re willing to admit that it can also be genuinely cool, and at the LX Factory, this is more often the case than not. Yes, there’s the token burger joint, charging $12 for ground beef because chia-buns or truffle-sauce or whatever, and I’m pretty sure I saw a cheesecake shop, but the majority of stores are legitimately interesting. Retro furniture, fun knick-knacks, great art, and clothes I might actually wear.

LX Factory

Our favorite place in the LX Factory is the Livraria Ler Devagar, a cavernous warehouse crammed full with books. The shelves reach three stories up along the walls, with ladders available to reach more far-flung titles. At the top of the metal staircase, in the center of the room, you’ll find antique newspaper printing machines.

LX Factory

After having completed our loop around the LX Factory, we entered the massive hall which acts as its hub, where a number of start-ups and studios now have their offices. Architecture studios, co-working spaces, advertising firms, a photography studios, and even a pole-dancing school are just some of the tenants who enjoy the space.

On the top floor is Rio Maravilha, an awesome bar which opens up into a two-story terrace overlooking the nearby Pont de Abril 25, memorable for its patchwork naked lady statue, mirroring the Cristo Rei across the river. We grabbed drinks and sat down to enjoy the view, feeling … not quite like hipsters, but definitely hipper.

LX Factory – Location | Website

We Curate your Travel Content

04 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08858

05 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08876

06 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08869

07 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08868

08 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08871

09 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08872

10 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08877

11 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08879

12 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08884

13 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08886

14 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08887

15 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08888

16 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08889

17 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08890

18 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08891

19 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08892

20 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08896

21 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08900

22 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08902

23 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08905

24 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08906

25 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08909

26 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08911

27 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08914

28 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08915

29 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08916

30 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08917

31 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08918

32 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08919

33 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08920

34 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08921

35 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08926

36 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08927

37 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08930

38 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08932

39 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08934

40 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08935

41 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08938

42 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08940

43 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08941

44 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08943

45 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08948

46 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08952

47 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08953

48 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08954

LX Factory Lisbon

50 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08957

51 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08962

52 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08968

53 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08969

54 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08972

55 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08975

56 LX Factory Hipster Lisbon DSC08976

Leave a Reply