A Sad Discovery in Madrid

[militarywatchdude]

I was in Madrid a few days ago and found time to go to my favorite store of all time- the Beriozka. I made the 1 1/2 hour treck to the store, which is located at the end of a sidestreet off the far end of the Retiro (assuming your walking from the Prado). I could just smell the Vostoks and 3133 chronos. I found the store by memory. Maybe I followed my heart. But as I walked up to its window I noticed that something was very wrong. The shop's yellow sign was still in place, but the Beriozka was empty, completely devoid of life, furniture, and Russian watches. A for rent sign was hung from the second story balcony.

The guy who owned the cafe across the street told me that the Beriozka had closed just a few days earlier due to poor buisness! What a shocker. It definitely sombered up the rest of my trip.

About a month before I left the USA the distributor of Russian watches in Spain told me that the Beriozka had expanded since I had last visited and that buisness was good. I guess he was sadly mistaken.

[anzac1957]

Not quite the same, but my wife and I went to a sewing shop yesterday only to find it had also closed.. One of those shops that had items you couldn't find elsewhere..

Seems to me that the recession has a long way to go yet..