Great shopping in Spain, and Madrid is one of the best places to find everything you could possibly want, whether you need it or not.
Spain is a leader in what Michael Silverstein, describes in his book “Treasure Hunt, Inside of the New Consumer” (www.bcg.com/treasurehunt) or the treasure hunt shopper. This is the new consumer who looks for a treasure, “goods and services that may be cheap or dear, technically sophisticated or whimsical, basic or feature laden, but are always functionally and emotionally significant.”
Madridisuserfriendly has been out looking for less and well known quality Spanish brands.
Spanish quality brands clothes such as ZARA, Pull and Bear, Mango, Pronovias, Neck and Neck, Lladró, Adolfo Dominguez, Loewe, Javier Larrainzar, Cortefiel, Corte Inglés, Armand Basi, Coronel Tapioca, Mango, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear, Purificación García, are just a few that can be found easily in the Barrio Salamanca, the area between Serrano, Goya, Príncipe de Vergara and Juan Bravo. This area is also known as the Golden Mile.
The International brands are in this area as well. In fact they are slowly moving the traditional Spanish commerce out of their shops. Spanish shoe shops have almost disappeared in favor of the big international brands you can buy anywhere and don’t need to visit Madrid for…except maybe they are slightly cheaper than in London, Geneva or Paris…. Spaniards are not happy paying those prices…
Spain makes great children’s clothes. Somehow, this is an industry that has evolved nicely with the times and there are shops all over the city. On the whole, it is all quality and good design.
MUF can offer a couple of suggestions, but you´d do better off having a look at everything.
Neck & Neck is a great brand with several shops around the city.
Pasito a Pasito (video) is of excellent quality and can be found in many select shops. On the whole, it is all quality and good design.The shops are open all week from 10 am to 8 p.m. Some shut for lunch, from 2-4:30 PM, the bigger ones don´t... The Corte Inglés stays open non-stop until 10 p.m. They are generally open on the first Sunday of the month.
SALES run from January 6 to March 1 and from July 1 to September 1. MUF offers this info as an indicator…it’s a good reason to visit Madrid and shop!The area around the Gran Via and the Puerta del Sol is also a great place to shop. This area is open on Sunday and you can find most of the good Spanish brands along with the up and coming ones.
Chueca is an area where you will find vintage and cool shops. You will find modern and old shops. Lots of trendy cafés, bars and restaurants to enjoy the two-hour lunch break, which most of the stores exercise in this area.
Augusto Figueroa, Piamonte and Almirante streets are the best known. Shops such as Piamonte, Rafa Postigo, Sisley, El Tintero, stand alongside art, second hand shops, accessories, and trendy clothes. You can find anything from linen to shoes to leather bags, Spanish and International brands. It’s a nice and friendly walk with great window-shopping. Chueca is considered the favorite watering hole for gays, it is open to all making Chueca a very attractive area.
Great bargain shops in Chueca for brand names, such as L´Habilleur, Elices Company, Lotta, What Ever.
Malasaña is an area well known in Madrid, youngster territory. Club land, there are shops, cafés, restaurants to visit. You will find almost everything, especially for the younger generation.
Book Bookshops are slowly disappearing around in Spain and around the world. Madrid still has a has a couple of small ones around the Sol area, otherwise you will find the big shops have everything including books, music news papers, maps etc. such as El Corte Inglés, which has several department stores around the city; Fnac, at the Plaza de Callao; Crisol and VIPS, which are all over the city and of course, the traditional, La Casa del Libro, on the Gran Vía.
Shopping Centers There are quite a few shopping centers in Madrid, not to mention that the Barrio Salamanca is in itself a shopping center. On Serrano, you can find the ABC Shopping Center, which in itself is worth a visit as building. Once upon a time, the offices of the ABC news paper, you will find some of the original Andalousin architecture. On the Castellana, you have the Moda Shopping Center (near the Santiago Bernabeu, the Real Madrid footabll stadium!), the nearby Azca, with an enormous Corté Inglés and on Goya corner of Serrano, El Jardín de Serrano.
Souvenirs If you are looking for souvenirs, MUF suggests, Los Caprichos de Goya (Goya, 50), Casa Jimenez (Preciados 42), Casa Postal (Chueca), Souvenirs (Postas, 20), Casa de Diego (Puerta del Sol, 12)
Decoration Zara Home (calle Hermosilla,16), Musgo (ABC Center), VinÇon (Castelló 18), Borgia Conti (Hermosilla, 43), Becara (Juan Bravo, 18), La Continental (Principe de Vergara, 48), Barri Twice (General Arrando, 36), El Patio de Marta (Zurbano, 25).
Antiquarians Antiques are out of fashion…. not that Madrileños have been very happy about holding on to anything old…if its French, English or Italian the article has a better chance of staying…they have tendency of throwing out their old furniture. In fact, Town Hall collects these articles once a month on a specific day, so the streets will not be lined with old furniture, paintings, carpets, clothes, or whatever.
Antique Sale in Madrid
"Rebajas en Crisis"
Nuñez de Balboa, 57
MADRID
50% OFF
The Rastro is where most of these things end up. A visit to the Rastro during the week, not just on Sunday morning could brandish something of value or of your choice.
In spite of this, there are a several shops, MUF can reccomend. Centro de Anticuarios (Lagasca, 36), Bravo (callejón del Mellizo, 7), Ropa Época (Carnero, 10), Fábrica de Trallas (Carnero, 21), Galerias Piquer (El Rastro), Los Modernos (Ribera de Curtidores, 12).
The Plaza Mayor has a fantastic Stamps and Coins market, which acts as a market on Sundays.
Ceramics Spain has amazing ceramics, difficult to find in Madrid. MUF finds that one of the nicest shops for tiles, ceramics, wood floors, etc.. is Alvaro Guadano (Nuñez de Balboa, 13). You can take a look at the shop and order for delivery any where in the world:
Have a look at their web: www.alvaroguadano.com
Other shops of interest are the Antigua Casa Talavera (Isabel La Católica, 2), Casa Jimenez (Preciados, 42), La Favorita (Plaza Mayor, 25), El Flamenco Vive (calle de las Hileras, 14), Guitarras Ramirez (calle de la Paz, 8)
