Historic Pastry Shop at Risk

La Palma, a Barcelona artisan pastry shop that has operated for 104 years, is confronting the possibility of closure, citing high rental costs and generational pressures. The business, located at Carrer del Clot, 72-74 in the Clot neighbourhood, has been passed down through four generations since opening in 1922. In 2023 alone, 5,862 establishments closed across Catalonia, part of an 11.6% drop in businesses between 2013 and 2023, according to data cited in a report by El Periódico Barcelona.

Fourth Generation Holds On

Laura and Cèlia Pérez, aged 30 and 23, represent the fourth generation of the Pérez family to run La Palma. In an interview with Time Out, they expressed concern about the future: "We want to continue, but you never know when it will be time to close," they said. Laura oversees bakery production, blending new creations with traditional recipes, while Cèlia manages customer relations at the shopfront. Their brother Jordi handles administrative tasks. The sisters took over four years ago and remain committed, despite operating on a street increasingly dominated by chain coffee shops.

We want to continue, but you never know when it will be time to close.

The business was awarded the Generational Succession prize this year by the Gremi de Pastisseria de Barcelona, an honour intended to support family-run artisan operations. The award is part of the annual 'Celebrem la Pastisseria Catalana' gala, which originated as a guild meeting in 1928 and formally began presenting awards in 1968.

Local Consequence

Residents of Clot may lose a long-standing community landmark. La Palma is one of the largest artisan pastry shops in Barcelona, combining traditional methods with modern food safety standards. Its continued operation depends on overcoming financial and structural challenges faced by many small, independent businesses. Customers can visit Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:30 PM, and on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. More information about the bakery and its catering services is available at pastisserialapalma.com.

Reported by elperiodico.com, pastisserialapalma.com, El Periódico Barcelona.