It is not easy in any business to reach half a century, especially in the book sector and with a firm commitment to literature and production in Valencian. An anniversary that Xàtiva will celebrate next weekend as part of the Música i Lletra (MiL) Festival program with a grand tribute event to Llibreria La Costera, a benchmark of critical and Valencianist thought that has become over the last 50 years a driving force of cultural life beyond the borders of its region.

The last campaign of the municipal elections, in May 2023, was immediately followed by another, the general elections that Pedro Sánchez unexpectedly called the day after the vote. In that second electoral race, with the election of the mayors already decided and the baton of the Catalan capital in the hands of the socialist Jaume Collboni, the name of Josep Rius was already circulating as a possible candidate for Junts in the next contest. Three years later, that scenario that was being drawn up in the gossip circles of the post-convergent is closer to becoming a reality.

Two weeks ago, the owner of the historic Soriano flower shop on Gaudí Avenue received the latest offer to leave and make way for another store crowded with souvenirs. His gladioli enjoy privileged views of the Sagrada Família temple. “And this time it really was a good offer – admits Xavier Soriano himself –. The truth is that I have been holding on for a few years because of my father and my grandfather, because my father and grandfather dedicated their lives to this flower shop, because my family has been here since 1940. But it has been a long time since I made a living with other businesses, because selling flowers here makes very little sense, because on this avenue there are only problems… I would have accepted this offer, I admit it, and let them start selling souvenirs, but…”.