F
rom the busy streets of Avenidas d'Alexandre Rosselló, the storefront of Imprenta Balear appears small and unassuming; yet turn the corner and look into the large arched windows to discover vintage industrial printing machines and a century of history that feels uniquely Mallorcan.
For many, the story of Imprenta Balear is emblematic of an island that has always been in transition yet remains steadfast and rooted in tradition. A multi-generational family printing business, Imprenta Balear has survived numerous crises – from world wars to home printers, and most famously, their stance against the corporate giant of El Corte Ingles during its redevelopment of the Avenidas, where Imprenta Balear has stood since 1927. Photos from this era are almost hard to comprehend. The scale of the excavated site of what is now El Corte Ingles, a whole square city block, once filled with small family shops and homes is gone, but for the rectangular corner space of the printing house. Another photo shows the printing house smooshed up against the department store’s brutalist concrete architecture, as if a tiny shell on a large whale. For good reason, David and Goliath has been mentioned in connection with the story many times.
In 1917, Don Jordi Aguiló, who worked for the electric company at the time, but who was clearly a savvy businessman, took over a German-owned playing card printing business that had run into debt since opening in 1913. They moved into their current space in 1927, a move that required laying train tracks in order to move the massive German printing machines into the building. Today, the business is led by the 4th generation children, Roberto Aguiló Jr. and his sister, Belen.
