Historic Barcelona shops are disappearing from Passeig de Sant Joan as the avenue’s iconic trio of family businesses loses its first member after nearly a century.
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Ferreteria Llanza, the hardware store that had operated since 1928, has permanently closed its doors following the retirement of 82-year-old Jaume Llanza, representing the third generation of his family to run the establishment.
Historic Barcelona shops face uncertain future
The closure leaves two remaining historic businesses – Fusteria Ribas and Lampisteria Sáez – flanking the now-shuttered hardware store. Furthermore, this development marks a significant moment for the neighbourhood’s commercial landscape. Daniel Ribas, the 76-year-old carpenter who runs the woodworking shop next door, acknowledges the changing times. “He would have continued if he could, but he was 82. I’m semi-retired and turning 76 next week,” Ribas told reporters. “I’ll continue as long as I can hold on.”
The three establishments have formed a unique commercial alignment between numbers 59 and 61 on Passeig de Sant Joan for decades. Consequently, their survival represented what many locals described as a “miracle” in an avenue increasingly dominated by chain stores and franchises. Meanwhile, the remaining business owners express concern about who might eventually occupy the vacant premises.
Antonio Sáez, 60, who runs the plumbing supply store with his brother, grew up in the flat above their shop. “Passeig de Sant Joan was our football pitch,” he recalls nostalgically. “My father would take out a chair and talk to everyone who passed by. Now you don’t know anyone – the older residents have died and our regular customers aren’t around anymore.”
This transformation of traditional commercial areas reflects broader changes affecting Barcelona’s neighbourhood character across the city. The remaining shopkeepers acknowledge they represent a dying breed of artisans and specialists who learned their trades through family traditions rather than formal education.
According to reports from Tot Barcelona, the hardware store’s closure came quietly, just short of what would have been its centenary celebration. The remaining business owners now face their own retirement decisions within the next five years, potentially marking the end of an era for these particular historic Barcelona shops.
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