Vinçon has been constantly reshaped as its sales area has expanded and it was situated in Passeig de Gràcia, 96 in a listed building forming part of Barcelona’s architectural heritage. It was designed by architect Antoni Rovira i Rabassa in 1899 and belonged to painter Ramón Casas.
The Guardian's article reads:
"Vinçon, Barcelona’s emblematic furniture and household goods store and, for 74 years, a byword for good design, has closed its doors, a victim of cheaper competition, internet shopping and Spain’s economic crisis.
Sales have been falling for the past eight years. Because of its situation on the popular Passeig de Gràcia, the shop was often full but mainly with tourists who looked but did not buy. “It’s been like a long, slow death,” said Sergi Amat, one of the owners of the family business. The closure has left its 48 employees out of work.
The shop was opened by Enrique Levi and Hugo Vinçon in 1941 and sold mainly porcelain and glassware. The Amat family acquired it in 1957 and after a series of false starts, began selling original, contemporary designs in 1967 – three years after Terence Conran hit upon a similar idea with Habitat, a shop that has suffered a similar fate.
In 1973, La Sala Vinçon opened as a place where local artists and designers could display their work, which they have continued to do until today. Among its many iconic designs was the wall calendar designed by América Sánchez in 1975, stripped of all detail, working days in black, Sundays in red. The owners say they haven’t yet decided whether to produce a calendar for 2016.
It was also famous for its shopping bags and during its last weeks, the shop remained open but empty, with only some 40 years of shopping bags on display. Its unusual and often witty window displays were another trademark of Vinçon’s commitment to style and originality.
Among the comments on the firm’s website after it announced it was closing someone wrote: “It’s like we’re not just losing a business but part of our personality. During its long history Vinçon has always expressed what it means to be from Barcelona. Good luck.”
Sergi Amat says the family hasn’t decided what to do next. “Maybe we’ll reinvent Vinçon,” he muses. Meanwhile, a farewell message on the firm’s website says: We believe Vinçon has formed part of a certain culture of the city; however, it seems that this model no longer fits in."
The Guardian is a British national daily newspaper. Founded in 1821 as a local paper replacing the radical Manchester Observer, it was known as The Manchester Guardian until 1959. It has grown into a national paper, and forms part of a media group with international and online offshoots.
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