Raval Route
For my final blog in this vintage shopping series, Raval, the hub of vintage shopping in my opinion, seems the most appropriate destination for a circular amble through some of the best vintage shops around.
Stop one: Begin in the renowned, vintage-filled, Carrer de Riera Baixa, for more details you can visit my previous blog post here.
Stop two: Head north to Joaquin Costa and take a left at the sign posted “Vintage Art Food” to find Uber den Wolken, German for “above the clouds,” where you can indulge in some delicious goods. Not only does the German-born owner Julia Breiter specialise in carefully scouting products, or “treasures” as she correctly names them, primarily from Italy and Spain, she also invests her time in organising activities on the shop’s top floor such as exhibitions, cooking classes and other creative entities. You can find out more about Uber here or visit it between the hours of 12pm-8.30pm on Mondays, 10.30am-8.30pm Tuesdays to Fridays and 11am-9pm on Saturdays.
Stop three: Take a right out of Uber and head straight to C/Tallers where you will find Flamingos, a store where all the items are freshly shipped from the United States and sold at discounted prices. Flamingos is part of a growing business that allows the consumer to pay for the weight in kilos as opposed to the given price tag. This way you are paying for great quality in ratio to a great price. Check out their website, where you can also shop online, or visit the store Monday to Saturday 10am-9pm.
Stop four: On the same street, C/Tallers, there is Holala Ibiza and just a short walk away you will see Holala Gallery on the corner of Plaça Castella. Holala hand-pick garments from all over the world and with their 40-plus-years of experience in the vintage sector all items are of the highest quality. When you walk into their stores you will no doubt be filled with excitement and inspiration not only by the clothes but also by the furniture, accessories, magazines, books, video games and much more. They even boast famous customers and lending their collections to TV and Film productions. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit this A-list vintage shop, open between the hours of 11am-9pm Monday to Saturday, you can also click here to visit their website.
Stop five: Finally head to C/Ramalleres where you will find PNB, Produit National Brut, in economics meaning the value of goods, and valuable they are. With a little bit of everything at great prices and in satisfyingly well ordered, colour coordinated displays, it makes for a grand finale to a grand vintage tour of Raval. Open 11am-9pm Monday to Saturday, you can find out more information by “liking” their facebook page here.
Hannah Thomson is a recent English and American Literature graduate currently living in Barcelona teaching English, learning Castilian and pursuing anything cultural and creative along the way. If you want to read more about happenings in Barcelona, check out her blog here.