He Boqueria Market Barcelona may have become a hive of tourists, but there are already historic places that are still at the foot of the canyon. It is the case of Pinotxoa lifelong bar counter that has been serving traditional Catalan cuisine for 75 years with the mythical Joan or Juanito Bayén in front. Or should I say woreWell, Juanito retires and the place changes ownership, and now, it seems, the name as well.
It has been determined by the Mercantile Court number 9 of Barcelona after the family’s complaint. Thus, they have managed to get the judge to order a precautionary measure by which Restaurante Egipto SLU, the new operator, is required to “cease immediately in the use of the name Pinotxo Bar“.
Juanito, who was already better known throughout the market by the same nickname as his bar, had been at La Boqueria all his life. The business started in the form of small kiosk where his mother served simple homemade dishes, after starting out just serving coffee and churros. baptized as Pinotxo in honor of the little one family dogfor the famous film of Disneythe position would gradually expand, also adding new à la carte dishes.
And so the decades passed in which Pinotxo and Bayén itself became a institution de la Boqueria, also popular with tourists and recognized by famous chefs such as Adrià or Alberto Chicote, always with their helpful smile and thumbs up. Until, at the age of 89, Juanito had to retire for health reasons.
Business was expected to continue his nephew Jordi Asín Bayén together with his wife, co-owners of the bar since 2001 after forming a civil society, but, in an unexpected move, according to the family, the bar was transferred to another employer through an administrative concession of the market. Following a minor revamp, the venue reopened a few weeks ago with a new team under new ownership.
Now, Asín claims the rights of the bar’s intellectual property and has declared in a statement how difficult it is for the family to assimilate what happened, stating that his uncle has been “remote-controlled” in the transfer operation, and that they are going to suffer serious financial damage. Despite everything, they claim that continue the family business and his “good gastronomic work” in another point of the market.
In this way, the mythical bar with its historic bar, a meeting point and almost a family corner for dozens of customers, will continue where it always has been but with another name, while waiting for the spirit of the original Pinotxo to reopen in another enclave.
Barcelona up close 7 (Guides Up close Lonely Planet)
Photos | Bar Pinotxo – Boqueria
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