It’s a law of nature: as the years go by, familiar faces who have always been on the other side of the counter say goodbye, and historic shops that have supplied generations and generations of customers end up closing. That’s what the legendary Pescadería Alofer (Calle de la Esgrima, 8) in Lavapiés will do at the end of March.
The news was announced last September by Antonio Pérez in Somos Lavapiés, and the specific date was detailed by journalist Pedro Zuazua in El País: this fishmonger’s—famous not only for its prices, customer service, and quality products, but also for its unique way of serving them, by throwing them through the air— will “definitely” close on March 31.
The reason is none other than the retirement of Fernando Alonso, its owner, who, after more than 50 years in the business, explains that the time has come to close up shop and rest.
Alonso’s family history is intertwined with that of the fish market many years ago, before the Civil War broke out: his great-uncle bought the business and subsequent generations took over. And so it has been until now: the family has decided to sell both the premises and the two-story building in which it is located.
From a neighborhood shop to a capsule hotel
Image courtesy of: Malopez 21 / Wikimedia Commons
Although some are leaving to enjoy a well-deserved rest, others are being forced out. Gentrification has been wreaking havoc in Lavapiés for some time, and one of the businesses that disappeared six years ago as a result was the Senegalese restaurant Baobab (Calle de Cabestreros, 1) and the Prinoy guesthouse.
The future of the property is to be converted into a capsule hotel, and although work had already begun, the Madrid City Council has halted (for the time being) the demolition of the building.
The decision was made after Antonio Giraldo, spokesperson for Urban Planning for the municipal socialist group, filed a complaint with the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, as the building is of high heritage value and could be several centuries old.
The future of the building now lies in the hands of the Community of Madrid: if it chooses not to protect it, demolition will resume.