El Corte Inglés
El Corte Inglés is a multi-floor department store in the centre of Murcia, with sections covering clothing, electronics, food, cosmetics, and home goods spread across its floors. The building also holds a café, a pharmacy, and a travel bureau, making it one of the more complete retail buildings in the city.
El Corte Inglés started in Madrid in 1940 as a small tailoring shop before growing into the largest department store chain in Spain over the following decades. The Murcia branch opened as part of that national expansion and has stayed in the same central location ever since.
The name El Corte Inglés translates to 'the English cut', a tailoring term adopted by the original Madrid shop in the mid-20th century. Today, the Murcia branch is a place where locals meet friends, grab a coffee, and run errands, often treating a visit as part of their daily routine rather than a dedicated shopping trip.
The store sits in the centre of Murcia and is easy to reach on foot from the old town and the main pedestrian streets. During the hot summer months, the air-conditioned floors offer a welcome break, and lifts and escalators connect all levels.
El Corte Inglés is the only major department store chain in Europe that has always remained under Spanish private ownership, without ever merging with or being acquired by a foreign group. The Murcia branch has a food hall in its lower floor where local products from the region are sold alongside everyday groceries, making it a spot worth visiting even if shopping is not the main goal.
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