On October 3, 2026, Gema Igual, the mayor of Santander, visited the ‘Doña Carmen’ shop to highlight the significance of the ‘Café Comercial’ program, which is celebrating its centenary as part of the municipal strategy to support local commerce.
Accompanied by the area councilor, Álvaro Lavín, Igual recognized the importance of this initiative, which aims to enhance collaboration with local businesses, create meeting spaces, and acknowledge the value of proximity commerce since its launch in 2024.
During her visit, the mayor stressed the necessity of maintaining close and ongoing dialogue with merchants and entrepreneurs, creating environments that allow for the sharing of experiences, identifying needs, and jointly addressing the challenges faced by local commerce.
“Local commerce is a fundamental piece of our city. It not only generates economic activity and employment but also helps keep our neighborhoods, streets, and communal spaces alive,” she emphasized.
In this context, she assured that ‘Café Comercial’ serves as a meeting point between the city council and the commercial sector, promoting participation and the exchange of ideas while allowing for the direct communication of concerns and proposals from those operating within the municipality.
Igual highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader municipal strategy to boost local commerce, based on collaboration, active listening, and the development of measures to strengthen the commercial fabric.
“We want to stand by our merchants, listen to them, and work together to ensure that our establishments remain reference points and our streets continue to be vibrant and lively,” she stated.
She also noted that through the 100 ‘Café Comercial’ events already held, new ideas such as ‘Recetas de éxito’ (Success Recipes) and ‘Maridaje comercial’ (Commercial Pairing) have emerged, reaffirming the city council's commitment to local commerce and developing new ideas to enhance its commercial offerings.
Finally, the mayor emphasized that the city council will continue to work on initiatives to support, promote, and energize local commerce, aiming to foster local economic activity, reinforce neighborhood identity, and highlight the social and economic role of small businesses.
