The most central shopping center in Catalonia is preparing to disappear as we know it. The corner where every Barcelonian has stayed for some time is undoubtedly one of the most iconic commercial spaces in the city, and now it will change with the closure of the FNAC, the iconic store that has occupied its commercial space for the last 30 years.
A year ago the French chain announced the closure but it will be this Saturday when its shutters will finally come down to move the store and make way for a thorough renovation of the city’s most iconic shopping center.
Chronology of an announced closure
A year ago the real estate portal Idealista published that the fund Deka Inmobilien Investment -owner of the establishment- was preparing a major reform of the space with the aim of merging establishments to revitalize its activity.
The idea is that after 25 years the space, the smallest shopping center in the city, has to change, so it wants to be reformed gaining openness to the street from the construction of a local (sales) of 1,500 square meters with a central corridor for the transit of people.
The same portal explains that Inditex is negotiating with Deka to open a Lefties superstore on the site, which would imply the withdrawal of FNAC from the site.
This farewell coincides with the reform of Las Ramblas, an iconic thoroughfare that is being transformed in its entirety, and that will now see some of the iconic businesses that made it up, such as FNAC, also change with it.
Where FNAC is moving to
After some rumors, it has been confirmed that FNAC is moving very close. Specifically, to the premises located at number 131 La Rambla, where a year and a half ago there was an H&M and which, for the moment, is still closed. At the moment there is no opening date for the new establishment, although everything suggests that it will be around October of this year.
In statements to the ARA newspaper, the French technology distribution company has stated that it is finalizing the closure of its Plaça Catalunya store and is also looking to reduce the space of its Illa Diagonal store, in order to focus on the transition to online commerce to better meet customer needs.
Thus, the Triangle and FNAC, the place through which millions of Barcelona residents have passed during its 25-year history looking at books, records and technology, will change forever, taking with it the memory of those who discovered books, records and music (and later cell phones or computers) in the city’s most famous triangular corner.