Right from the moment you enter the candle shop Cereria Subirà, the oldest shop in Barcelona, you somehow perceive those three centuries of History. It might be the historical aesthetics which still remain or just the atmosphere that you get involved with. On our visit to this magic and historical place we got to know its long history firsthand, telled by Pilar Subirà who is now in charge of the business.
Stories of candles, candles with History since 1761
Cereria Subirà was created in 1761 as a candle shop. Since then, in this family business they have been crafting candles and fostering the traditional methods of working with wax. This place has gone through different periods of History, and it has managed to survive by adapting to the new scenarios that have been presented.
Historical facts about Cereria Subirà
- Cereria Subirà is the oldest shop in Barcelona and was founded in 1761 by the candle maker Jacint Galí. After his death, the Prat family (also traditional candle makers) took over the business.
- In 1939, once the Civil War was over, a candle maker from Vic, Paulí Subirà took over the business.
- In the beginning of the 20th century the candle shop moved its location to the place where it is today (Baixada de la Llibreteria 7). They decided to preserve the original decoration of the space built in 1847, which was designed for the fabric store Pablo Despax. Today, those two figures in front of the staircase are still preserved and somehow they have become part of the Cereria Subirà’s identity.
Recently, Pilar Subirà took over the business
Pilar Subirà is in charge of the business now (also with the help of her cousin and niece). After her grandfather, her father was the successor and recently she took over the business. Even though it was a “natural succession” as she points out, she had to make it compatible with her own professional career in the music field and as a radio host. Pilar confesses she had mixed feelings regarding the familiar business: “When you are younger, somehow you rebel against something that you might feel imposed on you, but when you get older you see it differently. You feel yourself being part of something, which has become also a part of you”.
What will you find in there?
When you enter this candle shop for the first time it feels like entering a new place in terms of time and space (without moving from the city center). The shelves and counters of this genuine space are full of candles of all kinds: from traditional and liturgical candles to bold, avant-garde and colored designs.
From the ritual in the church to a “home ritual”
Cereria Subirà, the oldest shop in Barcelona, has been providing liturgical candles for the rituals in emblematic places such as Sagrada Família or Barcelona Cathedral for so long. So after the pandemic spread worldwide, how did they manage to adapt to these difficult times?
Without tourists lighting a candle on their visits to religious places, it seems like locals are the new main public. Pilar Subirà explains an important change she has noticed lately: “A new public has appeared in the last months: they don’t go to church to light a candle but they light them at home instead. For instance, they might light a perfumed candle while working from home, or on a Sunday evening to stay cozy at home”.
How does this family business see the future?
When we ask Pilar about the future of the family business, she is sincere: “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but what I do know is that we are here, right now”. She has the help of her niece, and she would really like to ensure the business continuity.
From Americans in Barcelona we really hope the Cereria Subirà, the oldest shop in Barcelona, will be open for many many years. Because historical treasures like this candle shop can’t disappear. They are part of Barcelona’s identity, and we are lucky to get to know the History of the city through these kinds of places whose walls seem to talk by themselves.
Do you want to keep exploring mysterious places with History? Here is our suggestion to continue discovering this magic city: We travel back in time at Biblioteca Arús
