Last Saturday, February 10th, marked an important milestone for the Casa de Campo community with the official inauguration of La Alpargatería's new branch in Altos de Chavón. The owners, Ricardo Fernández Alfaro from Spain and César García from Mexico, expressed their excitement for the warm welcome they have received from the local community.

The story behind this shop is fascinating. The Fernández Alfaro family has been in the espadrille business for over 100 years in La Rioja, Spain. From their grandparents to the current fourth generation, the espadrille tradition has been an integral part of their family legacy. The connection to Cervera del Río Alhama, Spain, a town in La Rioja with a rich espadrille tradition, is present through his mother's family.

Fernández Alfaro decided to settle in the Dominican Republic to continue the family business. Together with García, they learned the art of espadrille making from Fernández Alfaro's Spanish aunts, thus maintaining the authenticity of the tradition.

La Alpargatería's espadrilles are made entirely in the Dominican Republic, using Spanish materials and Mexican leathers. With a completely artisanal production, these jute shoes have become synonymous with freshness and comfort for the local public, adapting perfectly to the warm Caribbean climates.

With a 12-year track record in Santo Domingo and two additional branches in the Colonial Zone and Piantini, the opening of this third branch in Altos de Chavón marks a significant step for La Alpargatería. «Our audience is mainly local, and we've seen a great flow of people who regularly buy our espadrilles,» said Fernández Alfaro.

For their part, García highlighted the importance of people knowing the tradition behind espadrilles and becoming familiar with the product. Both owners expressed their gratitude towards friends, family, and prominent community figures, including Luciana Goldfain, manager of Altos de Chavón, and Fabricio Schettini, financial executive of Grupo Central Romana, who attended the inauguration.

The opening of La Alpargatería in Altos de Chavón not only brings a new variety of businesses to the community but also adds a fresh dynamism and a connection to artisanal tradition to this picturesque corner of the Dominican Republic. Fernández Alfaro expressed his desire to become a benchmark in the Chavón community, while García hopes that more people will immerse themselves in the rich history and quality of La Alpargatería's espadrilles.