El Gat Pelut, Els nou rals, and Len’s Cómic Cafe have all utilized Autoocupació’s services and successfully launched their entrepreneurial projects within the book industry. At Autoocupació, we wanted to celebrate
Sant Jordi’s Day by connecting with these entrepreneurs and drawing inspiration from their stories.
El Gat Pelut, #ThisBookIsMine 
El Gat Pelut is a bookstore located in Barcelona, in the Les Corts neighborhood, since 2017, when
Marta Gil opened its doors. “After losing my job, I considered whether to look for another job or change sectors. I decided to
plan the bookstore project, with the condition that if I wasn’t convinced, I would stop immediately.” However, the option to abandon the project disappeared, giving way to the excitement of starting a new challenge.
“Successfully launching your own project is a unique achievement”
Marta Gil, entrepreneur of El Gat Pelut
“They tell you this often, and you don’t quite believe it, but it’s true that successfully launching your own project is a unique achievement. It also brings headaches and worries: keeping an eye on the numbers, the competition, constantly evaluating the bookstore’s operation… But you learn an incredible amount!
Every day is a new experience where you discover what you can improve both personally and professionally.”
Aware that it would be a colossal task, but bringing all her energy and motivation to move forward, El Gat Pelut opened a new space in the neighborhood: a
local bookstore designed especially for readers. “A space where children and adults looking for a book can choose, browse, and discuss the book they want at their leisure.”
This April 23rd will be
El Gat Pelut’s first Sant Jordi, so Marta has decided to enjoy
Book Day by going out into the street and setting up a stall in front of the shop. “I prefer to take it step by step, defeat the Dragon, and next year we’ll see!”
Els Nou Rals, a project with 38 years of history
“The owner of
Els nou rals, Jordi Vicente, worked tirelessly for many years to establish this cultural center, a beloved establishment among the residents of
Viladecans. In 2013, due to the severe economic crisis, the opening of a shopping center near the bookstore, and declining profits, Jordi announced that he was closing the bookstore,” recounts
Ricard Caba, one of the 3 re-entrepreneurs and current partners of the bookstore.
“Seeing how a project that was expiring has been able to take a new path and become the protagonists of the business has been a great learning experience”
Ricard Caba, re-entrepreneur of the Els nou rals bookstore
It was at this moment that
the citizens mobilized to save the business by organizing a ‘cash mob’, calling on people to make a purchase at the bookstore. Although the temporary closure of the establishment could not be avoided, in 2013, 3 entrepreneurs along with Jordi Vicente
began the process of business succession, presenting an innovative and different proposal. Books remained the focus of the business, but the promotion of other cultural activities was added. “We wanted to maintain the point of sale as a local bookstore, but involve people in the project, offer other activities, and promote Els Nou rals as a cultural center in Viladecans,” explains Ricard Caba.
“Seeing a project that was expiring find a new path and become the protagonists of the business, not just as employees but also as owners of the shop, has undoubtedly been a valuable learning experience.”
Len’s Comic Cafe, for geeks and beyond
Len’s Comic Cafe was born from an idea during a business creation training course. Little by little, it took shape,
becoming a feasible idea: to create a
bar linked to the world of comics where users would have a space to enjoy them. “I’ve always liked comics and science fiction, and in Barcelona, there wasn’t much offering or strong competition in this area, so the most obvious option was to create it,” explains
Lena Tillman, entrepreneur and creator of Len’s Comic Cafe.
“After investing many hours, it’s rewarding to see your audience enjoy your business”
Lena Tillman, entrepreneur of Len’s Comic Cafe
“Entrepreneurship has brought me a lot of realism. It’s not easy to set up a business from scratch; it involves more work than you initially think, but after investing many hours, it’s rewarding to see your audience enjoy your business.”
Although the launch process was slow and arduous due to it being a project with a very specific audience, Lena has managed to create a space where people who love the world of comics feel comfortable. Little by little, the venue has adapted to its audience, offering new proposals: board games, activities, new comics, improvements in the ambiance….
A space where comics have become its main focus, turning it into “a place that ‘geek’ audiences really like.”
