A Madrid-based wine merchant with a long-standing tradition, its origins date back to the old bodega managed by Pedro Santa Cecilia Muñoz since 1922. In 1968 his son Pedro Santa Cecilia Berlinches created what the family says is "the first self-service store specialized in Spanish wines and spirits" at its current location in Blasco de Garay Street, in the bustling Argüelles and Moncloa district.
Far from becoming obsolete, the supermarket format has remained invariable until today. The third generation, led by siblings Mayte and Pedro, has successfully adapted the business to modern times with all that is expected from a 21st century wine merchant: online store, customers loyalty club, tastings courses, wine events...
This evolution has taken place without neglecting the traditional strengths of Santa Cecilia, mostly their huge selection with around 5,000 wines on offer –one of the largest in Madrid— and their highly competitive prices which have always been attractive both for the hospitality sector and for private customers.
Founded in 2009, their loyalty club boasts 25,000 members, all of them benefiting from discounts and access to wine courses and tastings including master classes led by top Spanish producers. The personal shopper service is another example of their focus on adding value; it basically consists of a sommelier who evaluates the customer’s tastes and needs, and makes sure that he or she finds the right wines.
According to Mayte Santa Cecilia, the key elements to reverse the decline of wine consumption in Spain and to remain competitive in the digital era in a context of increasing specialization of supply include “doing our job well and providing wine experiences and contents beyond the mere purchase". In addition to being competitive in price and dealing with new technologies, Mayte believes that “physical wine stores offer experiences that cannot be found online."
Beyond their headquarters in Blasco de Garay, Santa Cecilia owns a second store in the area (Bravo Murillo, 50). In 2015 they launched a franchising model that has resulted into two new stores located in Madrid (Nuñez de Balboa, 103) and Pozuelo de Alarcón. A.C.
