In an age where local shops often fight a losing battle against global chains and e-commerce, a family-run haberdashery in Barcelona’s Sant Andreu neighbourhood stands as a testament to resilience and tradition. Merceria Perelló, a treasure trove of buttons, threads, and wools located at Carrer Gran de Sant Andreu, 261, celebrated its centenary in 2023, weaving itself ever deeper into the fabric of the community it has served for generations.

Your browser does not support the video tag.

With an inventory boasting some 50,000 different items, from classic sewing notions to specialised craft supplies, the shop is a vibrant hub for artisans and hobbyists. Its milestone feels particularly poignant as many of Barcelona’s historic shops face unrelenting closures. The survival and continued success of businesses like Merceria Perelló offers a stark contrast to recent losses. For example, Gràcia’s Merceria Tarragona closed after 107 years. This makes Merceria Perelló’s story not just one of celebration, but also of remarkable survival.

A Family Thread

Today, Ramon Martínez Perelló and his wife, Elena Torres López, the third generation, run the shop. The story began in January 1923 with Ramon’s maternal grandmother, Montserrat Cura Vidal. Originally from a family of bakers in Manresa, Montserrat was orphaned at 25. Using her inheritance, she moved from the El Poblenou neighbourhood to take over a haberdashery that had already been operating in Sant Andreu since 1880.

“She came to Sant Andreu and took on a business that had been a haberdashery since 1880,” Ramon explained in an interview with VilaWeb. It was there that she met a sock supplier named Ramon Perelló. “Between smiles and socks, Montserrat and he fell in love and began to run the shop together.”

The couple had three children, two of whom, Conxita (Ramon’s mother) and Pere, continued working in the shop until their retirement. For the current owner, the business is more than a workplace; it was his entire world. The family lived in the back of the shop and in the flat above.

“The third day of my life, I was already here in the shop,” Ramon recalled. “I was born in 1964 and lived here until 1993, when I got married. As a child, I played here, making trains out of boxes. For me, the haberdashery is family.”

Weaving Tradition into the Future

Beyond selling supplies, Merceria Perelló has embraced a crucial role in preserving the very crafts its products support. The shop organises workshops in traditional skills like bobbin lace, crochet, cross-stitch, and embroidery. Ramon sees this as a natural evolution of their purpose.

“In the past, these creative art forms were passed down from mothers to daughters and from grandmothers to granddaughters,” he said. “However, as women entered the workforce, these old traditions began to fade. Consequently, haberdasheries took on the tasks that grandmothers used to do. We are safeguarding an entire historical tradition of handicrafts.”

The shop’s deep ties to the Sant Andreu community also reflect its commitment to heritage. Many residents still call Sant Andreu a poble (town) rather than a district of Barcelona. The family actively participates in local festivals and cultural events. Their philosophy, as Ramon puts it, has always been based on the “core elements of a Catalan’s life: family, faith, and country.” This deep-rooted identity has earned them numerous accolades over the years. These include the Commerce of the Year award from the City Council of Barcelona in 2001 and, more recently, a National Award for Centenary Commercial Establishments from the Generalitat de Catalunya.

An Uncertain Fourth Generation

While the shop celebrates a rich past, its future remains unwritten. Ramon and Elena’s two sons, Jordi, a 30-year-old teacher, and Sergi, a 26-year-old IT professional, have chosen different paths. Although they grew up in the shop just as their father did, it seems unlikely they will take the reins.

“In a way, it hurts me that a three-generation lineage of haberdashers will be lost-the legacy of a trade, the home, and the whole family experience that exists in this shop,” Ramon admitted. Many family-run heritage businesses across the city share this quiet concern, from small workshops to institutions that have lasted centuries, like the Pedralbes Monastery which recently marked its 700th anniversary.

For now, however, Merceria Perelló continues to thrive. Its spectacular wall of threads, with every imaginable colour, and its ingenious system for displaying buttons in clear tubes remain a beacon for creatives. More than just a shop, it is a living archive of skill, a pillar of the community, and a vibrant reminder that some traditions are worth holding onto, one stitch at a time.