17/12/2009
Vitoria-Gasteiz, 17 December 2009. - Santa Maria Cathedral has today inaugurated a store which will sell merchandise linked to the cathedral and its restoration process. Located on Las Escuelas street, next to the Plaza de Santa Maria, it will also sell fairtrade items thanks to the agreement reached with the NGO's Intermon Oxfam and Medicus Mundi.
Almost ten years after starting the restoration project, Santa Maria Cathedral is taking a new step in the process of attracting visitors and regenerating the Old Quarter of the city. On this occasion, it is opening an establishment in the vicinity of the Plaza de Santa Maria in which a large number of products associated with the cathedral will be on sale to the public. This initiative was made possible thanks to the Agency for the Integral Rehabilitation of the Historical City of Vitoria-Gasteiz, managed by Gonzalo Arroita, who granted the use of the premises to the Santa Maria Cathedral Foundation.
The store is located at number 11 on Las Escuelas street and covers an area of 52 square metres to which we can add a further 99 metres of warehouse space.
The refurbishment project of the premises has been taken care of by architects Oskar Bell and Lide Gabarain, and the team from the Foundation. It has been designed to give continuity to the 'Open for Works' style, with scaffolding in view inside the actual premises and the floor has been made from distressed planed wood. Items of stationary, t-shirts, umbrellas, models of the cathedral, postcards or articles aimed at children can be found in the store, as well as books that the Santa Maria Cathedral Foundation has been publishing over the years. In addition there will be tourist information about the city and province.
Up until now all these souvenirs could be bought in the Visitor Reception Area, thus the new space greatly improves their showcasing to the public. Also, the Santa Maria Cathedral Foundation has reached an agreement with two non-governmental organizations working in Alava, Intermon Oxfam and Medicus Mundi, enabling them to sell their fairtrade products. Thanks to this agreement being put in place, the store will offer both food products such as coffee, chocolate or sweets as well as gift items. Profits obtained from the sale of these products shall be destined in full to both NGOs.
The shop will remain open seven days a week between the hours of 10.00 to 14.00 and from 16.00 to 20.00. Furthermore, members of the Circle of Founders of the Cathedral will receive a 10% discount on all purchases, except on fairtrade products.