Can Llufriu is a reference business in Ciutadella. It would probably be impossible to understand the recent history of the municipality without the historical, social and economic contribution of this establishment, catalogued as an established business with history, within the framework of the programme of Emblematic establishments of the Balearic Islands.
Magdalena Llufriu, who currently runs the family business, recounts that “at first, when the business opened in 1947, the products were aimed at the peasantry because it was a very important sector of Menorca’s economy at that time. We had esparto grass, ropes, tarpaulins, buckets and many other materials used for life and production in the countryside, and little by little we expanded the range of products we sold and also the clientele beyond just the peasants. We also started to assemble curtains and railings all over Menorca, as well as the famous frieze that everyone used to put up for dampness”.
She also recalls how at specific moments in their history they were able to introduce changes that allowed them to adapt and continue to be a point of reference. “With the economic crisis in the mid-1990s, the shop was also expanded to include decorative items and auxiliary furniture, maintaining almost everything we already offered, although adapting it to the new times”. Nowadays, he points out, “Can Llufriu is a local business with a loyal clientele who know that in our shop they will find practically everything”.
This shop stands out for its artisan quality, an added value throughout its history, “although we have many types of articles, all the products made in an artisan way and with natural products are of great importance. Thus, we have all kinds of ropes: rustic, esparto, hemp, cotton for macramé and sausages, as well as objects such as wood racks, palm baskets, mushroom baskets (esclata-sangs), rustic stools made of bova and tamarit, esparto and coconut fibre rugs, espadrilles, palm and millet brooms, as well as moulds for making the famous formatjades, pastissets i crespells, pastries that are so typical of Ciutadella”, Llufriu explains.
In the last edition of the Onda Cero awards, Can Llufriu was awarded in the Local Commerce category. When asked what this recognition means for the family, Magdalena Llufriu indicates that “the condition of local commerce for us means local commerce, personalised and direct treatment, meeting with experienced people who are there to advise you on what you are looking for and offering a product of a certain quality that often cannot be found in other places”.
Llufriu is categorical when she expresses what she likes most about her job: “I have no doubt about the good, personalised service we provide”.
As for the challenges ahead, this local businesswoman maintains that the future lies in adapting to the new times, without losing our identity. “It is very clear that commerce in general is quite wounded, as e-commerce represents 24% of purchases in Spain. But we are facing the future with a desire to work and adapting to new technologies. I believe that we can still continue to be a point of reference in Menorca’s economy”.
So, 77 years later, Can Llufriu is a must-visit shop, with a wide range of decorative products and auxiliary furniture.