Coppelia was originally built in a project led by
Fidel Castro. Fidel's longtime secretary,
Celia Sánchez, named Coppelia after her favorite ballet
Coppélia. The building was influenced by the biomorphic modernism of Italian, Mexican and South American modernists like
Pier Luigi Nervi,
Felix Candela and
Oscar Niemeyer, who saw the opportunity to leave behind the rectangular forms of the steel high rises and utilize the plasticity of reinforced concrete. Populist ideology helped shape the design and use of the public space. In April of the same year the Cuban newspaper
Trabajadores ran an article exposing the scarcity and poor quality of the product as well as the inattentive service at the parlor, despite the recently completed renovations. Among the problems were broken freezers.
Difficulties In February 2025, Coppelia reopened after a three-month closure prompted by economic difficulties and pricing adjustments, with expanded flavors and higher prices, amid an economic crisis in the country. At the time of its closure, Coppelia was only able to serve a single ice cream flavor. == Location ==