Cal Pep

The sign was hung by his father: yellow letters on green, CAL PEP. He invested a lot in that place, and the business provided them with a good life for many years. He treated his customers like family and knew everyone's preferred cortado, espresso, or latte.

Pep Jr. eagerly took over the business when his father retired. He also knows who takes saccharine, who's going through a tough time, who needs to chat for a while to ward off loneliness...

But thirty years later, things have changed a lot. A multinational chain has opened next door, selling much cheaper. Fewer and fewer people visit Cal Pep, and he's been battling red numbers for months. That's why, on Tuesday, his roller shutter will close for the last time. Paquita will be left mid-conversation, the yellow-on-green sign will be gone, no one will know what coffee everyone drinks anymore...

This biography is dedicated to all the Peps and Cal Peps who, whether they sell nails, sewing thread, shoes, or coffee, lower their shutters in Catalonia every day, taking with them a legacy of knowledge, memories, and stories that will never return.

Thank you for your great service, and long live the Cal Peps who are still holding on!