The journalist who saved Madrid's legendary La Duquesita pastry shop

One casual walk changed everything for Ana Vázquez. She spotted a "for transfer" sign on a beloved Madrid pastry shop, and she couldn't let it go.

Today, ten years after she helped save La Duquesita, the place is busier and more famous than ever.

What happened?

Vázquez, a journalist and CEO of the communications agency Balboa Comunicación, had her office near Calle Alonso Martínez. One day she walked past La Duquesita and saw the sign announcing it was up for transfer. It ruined her day, she says, but it also woke her entrepreneurial side.

The Santamaría family had run the shop, founded in 1914, for three generations and felt it was time to stop. Vázquez spoke with María Eugenia Soriano and star pastry chef Oriol Balaguer, and both joined as partners.

Daha önce ne olmuştu? Ten years of a second life

The shop reopened on 29 December 2015, right in the middle of Christmas. The team renovated the space, restored its protected features, wrote a new menu and designed a logo. Their rule: keep the quality high.

Since then, the croissant, the chocolate palmera (a flat, crisp pastry) and the panettone have become favourites. Some people come every Christmas just to see the window display.

Vázquez picks three highlights: the Madrid Gastronomy Academy's award for best pastry shop in Madrid, the prize for best roscón de Reyes (the Epiphany ring cake), and the opening of the tea room next door. Last year's collaboration with the fashion house Loewe also had "an immense impact".

What's next?

Offers arrive daily, from hotels to clothing brands and streaming series. Vázquez says things are going well.

She would like to open a second shop. The main obstacle is scaling up while keeping their very high standards, and forming new teams is hard. Her own favourite? The frozen truffles.