How traveling helps us grow in 'retail'

It is very important to look at other people's businesses to improve our own. In recent months, I have traveled to some European cities, personally or for work, something that has helped me to see certain points that we retailers should take into account or change from another perspective. In this way, they could inspire us to adapt them and make Barcelona more attractive, gastronomically speaking.

Traveling is always a good way to discover and notice other aspects that we usually don't dedicate much time to because we are in a hurry in our daily lives. That is why, when I travel, I cannot stop noticing the retail sector. This way I can observe, learn and get inspiration to implement and share it in my projects. As a retailer, researching what is being done and what is brewing in other places, has helped me to find new opportunities that we can take advantage of here.

For example, a few weeks ago, when I was in Milan, I was very interested in visiting a very well-known establishment that appears on many networks, globally promoting focaccia. My expectations were very high, it must be said, but upon visiting it, all the excitement I had came crashing down. If the videos I had seen recorded there exuded smiles, vitality, energy, and a desire to serve, I found the complete opposite: a rather angry team, with little energy. At the door there was a "staff wanted" sign designed with little grace.

It is possible that it was a bad day for the team, but in retail, you have to take care of the small details always, because on this will depend whether the customer returns, even more so, if branches are to be created. The truth is that I left without trying a bite. I had been wanting to try a focaccia and an impeccable delicatessen, Macelleria Faravelli, caught my attention on the way, which particularly surprised me by the distribution of its products.

Upon entering the store, the team's reaction was an energetic greeting: Buon Giorno! I asked them if they could fill a focaccia with truffle mortadella for me, and they said yes, of course. The result was that I found a place with spectacular raw material, a sensational product, and red carpet service. The possibility of creating opportunities is continuous. The delicatessen, without knowing it, has the opportunity to create a new service of filling focaccias and thus open a new line of business.

From the very first moment, the treatment was impeccable. Energy, enthusiasm, and friendliness. These concepts, which define the atmosphere of the place, are what we must take into account in our retail businesses to make the customer experience unforgettable. From that moment on, I will always remember this deli in Milan.

Another establishment that achieves this wow effect, albeit in a different sense, is the supermarket Whole Foods Market. It specializes in natural and organic products, promoting sustainable production. I love to visit it when I'm in London, to see what their new product selection is. It is possibly one of the most impressive food supermarkets, where we can get many ideas for Barcelona, and not only in food, since the learning, with respect to marketing, serves for other retail sectors.

Rome is another city where we can stroll and learn a lot about businesses. During my last trip, I discovered the gourmet deli, Angelo Feroci, where I was amazed by its high-quality product and the height of its counter, with imposing marble structures. After five minutes observing the spectacular product display, I could not resist the temptation to buy.

In Barcelona, several businesses work retail very well, such as Jon Cake. The pastry chef opened his second store in the city at the beginning of the year, on Gelabert street in Barcelona, between Eixample and Les Corts. A point of sale with a workshop and space to taste its products, where beyond its famous cheesecakes, we find, as a perfect pairing, a wine list to complete the experience, which is why it is called Jon Cake & Wines.

In Francesc Macià, Camarasa shines, a gourmet store that offers a very unique experience on the most coveted corner of the square, next to Avenida Diagonal, where the emblematic shoe store Padeví used to be located.

Camarasa is a place that invites you to eat with your eyes and has a well-kept and differential space. The owning family had the facade and design rebuilt, combining a light beige color, in harmony with the rest of the building, with black doors and two imposing Doric-style columns that preside over the entrance.

The interior of the establishment is custom-made and practically everything can be found there: there is a gourmet product store, a greengrocer, a delicatessen, and a cheese cellar. Also, takeaway food and a restaurant. Few concepts have been left out at Camarasa, taking care of the retail basics, as it should be, demonstrating that Barcelona also moves.