Arrecife's most special bookstore, La Madriguera, which has been open for almost four years, has become the place for "cultural encounters" par excellence. Its owner, Alexis de la Cruz Otero, a passionate of Canarian literature, recognizes that he is "very happy" with the project and that it has "opened many doors" on the island.
A "low cost" bookstore business and second-hand book sales, which arose from "a trip to Las Palmas", when this Madrid native adopted in Lanzarote, came up with the idea for "having frequented" this type of bookstores.
Upon returning from that trip, in "a month and a bit we were already opening" he recalls and also, with a pioneering initiative since "there wasn't one here in Lanzarote." "We bet on this idea", which is based on "giving a third, even a fourth life to books."
Alexis confesses that "crime novels" and "self-help books" are the best sellers, although "a lot of island publishing is also moving, with books by authors from here." He admits that "Madriguera" is visited by "readers daily", who give up their books due to "inheritances, moves, etc", in addition to "many centers" that "donate" them.
The goal of the business is that "the copies do not end up in the trash" and "rescue them from oblivion." An initiative that helps the people of Lanzarote to know the island from another perspective, with publications such as "The flora and fauna of the 80s of Timanfaya", editions of authors such as "Leandro Perdomo, Ángel Guerra, etc". and also for the little ones, with "Canarian stories".
Such is its originality, that many tourists decide to enter on their way through the island, such as when "a Cuban brought me the entire edition of the 27 volumes of José Martí published in Havana" recalls the bookseller. Given its influence, which even transcends an ocean, "I announced them on Instagram @libreria_lamadriguera", "a Mexican journalist" wanted them, at which point "I sent them to Mexico City" and they arrived "the following month."
A resident of Arrecife who has earned the affection of the city, when they remind him that "something like this was needed." Who considers himself "a psychologist for the people" who come to the bookstore, but passionate about his work "I have already gone around a lot in my life and I want to stay here."
"I will be in a booth at the Yaiza Book Fair with the signing of Canarian authors and some literary saddlebags"
The bookstore will participate in the Book Fair in Yaiza from April 27 to 30, with a booth to which it will bring "some literary saddlebags" with "seven designs by Canarian and universal authors", including "a poem by Félix Francisco Casanova" and the meeting of readers with "Canarian authors who will be signing".
In addition, next Saturday, April 29, it will bring together reading lovers with the blind date "tea time", for which they will select books, wrap them and put the genre on them. But with a novelty: include tea bags as a gift.