A small bloc of shops persists in Madrid’s underground retail corridors and coffee corners, numbering fewer than a dozen today. These merchants operate without stable contracts, moving and adapting in a space that once thrived with hundreds of storefronts. They are often described as the backbone, the last remnant of a subway economy that filled the capital with everyday commerce long ago. They hold fast to a belief in sustaining a unique urban microcosm beneath the city, despite the shifts that have reshaped these spaces.
Records from the metro system themselves reveal a long arc: in 2007, dozens of storefronts were still visible in the underground labyrinth, selling clothing, books, perfumes, and cosmetics. There were photographers, coffee shops, and a buzz that signaled a lively, low-budget marketplace. In the present moment, far fewer remain open beyond the turnstiles, with routine closures reducing the number to a small handful that keep a daily rhythm of business and social life near the platforms.
The situation, while stubbornly consistent for some, remains contested. A tight-knit group of metro merchants, whose contracts linger on an expired building lease, has reassured observers that the tally has moved from a peak of around 120 open stores down to nine. They express willingness to operate their stalls at locations like Aluche or Sol station while petitioning the Community of Madrid to finalize new contracts that would renew the practice of commerce beneath the rails.
For years, advocates within the metro community have pressed for reopening these corridors to restore vitality to the underground market. Francisco Ferrera, spokesman for the Metro Madrid Merchants Association and leader of the Autonomous Network, describes how the administration’s renovations have shifted focus toward tendering the renovated spaces for commercial use. This course of action, he notes, has become a point of friction with merchants who value continuity and access to their traditional spaces.
Ferrera has criticized the administration’s approach in discussions with the press, arguing that the current policy reduces the number of small and medium enterprises beyond the turnstiles while cutting thousands of direct jobs and diminishing indirect employment. He contends that millions of euros are being invested in secure, sealed spaces that do not actively contribute to the flow of street-level commerce beyond the barriers of the subway interior.
The merchants who stay active behind the turnstiles believe that safety concerns can be balanced with ongoing business life. They allege that the spaces are redesigned for safety, yet still see activity drop to suboptimal levels where the network intersects and in the outskirts of the Adif suburban system. This contrast fuels the debate over what infrastructure is needed to support commerce in transit hubs without compromising security.
A representative for underground traders has voiced uncertainty about the remaining nine merchants who resisted in court, questioning the rationale behind those decisions and the broader challenge posed by a dominant online platform that some merchants feel is eroding their traditional customer base. The conversation often circles back to the question of how to preserve a vibrant, locally rooted marketplace in an era of rapid digital disruption.
The community of self-employed workers and small businesses continues to export economic activity even as European regulations on affirmative action for SMEs are cited in policy discussions. Merchants question how many tender processes will occur without clear justification and what criteria are used to determine eligibility and concession terms. The tone among many sellers is one of frustration but also resolve, signaling a readiness to engage with authorities to clarify guidelines and safeguard the metro’s commercial ecosystem.
There is ongoing emphasis on what happens next: the suburbs point to a mandate that the metro has the obligation, ability, and responsibility to comply with current regulations. They observe that the count of stores operating commercially with formal contracts has plummeted since 2007 and remains perilously low. The conversation now centers on finding a path that aligns municipal rules with practical realities on the ground, ensuring that essential services and local entrepreneurship can coexist behind the turnstiles.
In the end, the merchants argue for a careful reassessment of use cases for these underground spaces. They acknowledge the singular nature of the metro environment and suggest that options for exploitation are limited by its design. The aim is to protect the area’s commercial life while maintaining safety and order, thereby preserving a distinct urban experience that many riders still value as part of Madrid’s cultural fabric.
[Citation: Efe] }