Barna Centre awards its “Rosa de Plata” prizes to Up Headwear, Massimo Dutti and Merceria Santa Ana

Three commercial establishments in the city centre – the classic and contemporary hat shop Up Headwear, in Carrer Comtal, the “flagship” clothes shop Massimo Dutti in Portal de l’Àngel and Merceria Santa Ana in Carrer de les Moles – have been awarded the Rosa de Plata Prize by the commercial association Barna Centre at the 27th edition of its awards ceremony.

These are prizes that are awarded to shops and their commercial and social activities in the city centre. They lend recognition to commercial initiatives launched in 2017 that have helped to enhance and reflate the commercial environment in Barcelona's centre. Small and large shops as well as restaurants, along with their owners and workers, are the key players in this initiative. They are shops and retailers that make the city.

Best newly introduced establishment: Up Headwear

The jury awarded its prize for best newly introduced establishment in 2017 to the classic and contemporary hat shop Up Headwear, located in Carrer Comtal, for its availability of products, packaging, its inside and outside image as a distinguishing feature that “found a perfect balance between modernity and classicism”. Mònica Gonzàlez, who manages the four shops that the chain has in Barcelona, explained how the location in Carrer Comtal answered their need for having a presence in a very iconic part of Barcelona. They have also had shops in C/ Portaferrissa, C/ Carders and C/ Princesa for nine years. The shop’s furniture, which is designed by the artist Juan Alemany, is a distinctive feature of the establishment, with shapes evoking the Modernisme style. Its clients are mainly but not exclusively tourists, as Barcelona residents are rediscovering hats and caps as a classic accessory through the new designs that are offered there. Offering multi brands as well as their own collection to men and women, Up Headwear has been aiming to position itself through a proposal of complementary wear that takes new fashion trends into account.

Best refurbishment: Massimo Dutti in Portal de l'Àngel

The prize for best refurbishment went to the establishment Massimo Dutti at Avinguda del Portal de l’Àngel, nº 32. Its façade was renovated, while respecting its structure and the interior, with 1,300 square metres of retail area divided up into 5 floors. The renovation work, with interior design by the brand itself, aimed to create translucent and comfortable spaces for clients and displaying their designs. Massimo Dutti’s flagship shop in Barcelona is the only one in the city to have the chain’s full range of collections.

Energy-efficiency measures have also been introduced to reduce electricity consumption by 30% and water consumption by 40%. At the same time, technology is also providing clients with new experiences, such as interactive changing rooms offering customers a screen with information on the clothes items they have requested, as well as suggested alternatives. If, for example, they see that it is not their size, they can use the terminal to ask for another size. Fast-payment tills have been put up to prevent queues and to collect and pay for products requested online and once they have been tried on in the shop. Clients can use an app too that enables them to make easy and speedy payments using their mobile phones.

A prize for Merceria Santa Ana

Mercería Santa Ana, a shop that had stood for years in Portal de l’Àngel, has now moved to Carrer de les Moles, a stone’s throw from its original location. Awarded a Rosa de Plata Prize for its continued commitment to its business project and the neighbourhood since 1935, Santa Ana turned the former Moles department store into the fabulous shop it is today. Its owner, Antònia Carcassona, explains that the new location allows it to keep on providing its service to clients but with greater comfort. And they continue to work with the idea of offering everything in the way of haberdashery products and the very latest in every design, size and colour. “It's still true that if you can't find it in Santa Ana you can't find it anywhere else”, notes Antònia Carcassona. The fourth generation running the activities of a shop that also provides a service to haberdasher's shops throughout the country. The shop in Moles, with 250 square metres at its disposal, is designed to display all the products it has available, with specialist staff helping out.