By Irene Escudero
Madrid, Apr 22 (EFE).- Latin American migrants are opening a growing number of independent bookstores across Spain, creating community spaces and strengthening cultural ties between both sides of the Atlantic.
Many of these bookstores are driven by personal histories and a desire to recreate a sense of community far from home.
Vania Reséndiz wanted to honor her grandmother’s legacy, the first female bookseller in Oaxaca, Mexico, and opened Las Indomables in Madrid just a few months ago, one of several bookstores recently launched by Latin American migrants in Spain.
Although she has only been in Madrid’s Prosperidad neighborhood for four months, Reséndiz already greets several customers by name.
Photographs of her grandmothers and aunts, the real «indomitable» women, hang proudly on the wall behind her.
«It’s a tribute to the women in my family who raised me… They, as teachers, farmers and housewives, built a community in the town of Oaxaca, where I am from and where my entire family lives,» the bookseller and cultural manager told EFE.
She arrived in Spain three years ago.
Reséndiz recalls receiving Don Escandaloso, her first book, from her mother because she was «a somewhat uninhibited child.»
Now, she recommends illustrated books about tantrums and emotions to a first-time mother browsing with her young son.
«It’s a safe space, a place to meet and chat,» she said, adding that her new neighborhood, «despite the differences,» reminds her of where she grew up, «where people greet you on the street and share stories.»
‘Everyone fits in here’
Neither Las Indomables nor El Retiro de las Letras are exclusively Latin American bookstores.
Instead, they function as neighborhood spaces that avoid stocking the hundreds of new titles released monthly by major publishers, focusing instead on independent labels and carefully curated children’s literature.
At El Retiro de las Letras, run by Isabel Giraldo and Leandro Gómez, a large sign reads «Aquí cabemos todxs» («Everyone fits in here»).
Though the shop is narrow, with packed shelves, posters and tote bags, it captures the spirit of the space.
Located just steps from Madrid’s Retiro Park, Leandro greets families passing by as children leave school.
He offers an apologetic smile to a customer whose requested book has not yet arrived.
«It’s ironic that booksellers are now Latin American,» said Gómez, a Colombian who never imagined opening a bookstore when he arrived in Madrid nearly six years ago.
«We were encouraged because my partner knows the industry well and I love reading,» he told EFE.
A bridge with Latin America
At El Retiro de las Letras, books are imported directly from publishers in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina to «empower authors who don’t always reach Spain,» Gómez said.
A similar philosophy guides Mandolina, an Argentine bookstore that opened a Madrid branch in the Arganzuela neighborhood a year ago.
«Anyone who walks in is invited to receive a recommendation,» said bookseller Julia del Pecho.
«We ask what they’re looking for, listen to them, and try to match the recommendation to their reading universe, or take them somewhere new.»
She notes differences between Buenos Aires, often described as the city with the most bookstores, and Madrid.
«Here there are constant new releases. In Argentina, things arrive more gradually,» she said.
«We try to ensure that new releases don’t overwhelm the bookstore. We prefer a curated collection.»
These spaces also serve as cultural hubs. The first anniversary of El Retiro de las Letras featured Colombian author Héctor Abad Faciolince, while Uruguayan writer Fernanda Trías recently led talks and workshops at the other bookstores.
At Mandolina, which also features a café serving traditional Argentine facturas (sweet pastries), workshops on literature, writing and art help build a growing community. EFE
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