The End Of An Era, The Beginning of A New Chapter

Introduction

For nearly a quarter century, The Spanish Table in Berkeley stood as the Bay Area’s home for Iberian flavors, a place where shoppers could find paella pans as tall as a child, rare conservas, artisan olive oils, world-famous Spanish wines, century-old Madeiras, and rare Sherries. Ushered in during what I would now call America's "foodie awakening" it introduced us to the exciting flavors of Spain: paella, chorizo, tapas, and the wines that accompany them. More than that, it offered a glimpse into “old Spain,” a way to revisit travel memories, and a place where fellow food lovers could connect. 

Because this era means so much to so many, it feels important to share a deeper look at how we got from the opening in 2001 to the closure of the Berkeley store.

A Brief History

Opened in 2001 by Seattle-based founders Steve Winston and Sharon Baden, the Berkeley store was the only one of its kind in the Bay Area. In 2005, the owners were invited to open a second shop in Marin’s Strawberry Shopping Center, then a bustling meet-eat-stroll destination. These were the pre-internet days, when you had to visit our shops to find Bomba rice or Jamón Ibérico.

By 2016, sensing the need for more than “stuff on shelves,” the owners opened a third location in San Francisco’s Inner Richmond. That store included a coffee and sandwich counter — an early nod to the idea that experiences would be essential to retail’s future.

From 2008 to 2017, we enjoyed a golden age. Online competition was minimal, our selection drew customers from far and wide, and the store’s unique personality kept people coming back. Still, it was always more labor of love than cash cow: even then, one co-owner kept another job in the wine industry to help sustain things.

The Pandemic Boom — and After

In 2019, the three stores’ revenue was just enough to keep the network afloat. Then the pandemic arrived. Loyal customers, cut off from restaurants, came to us for their cooking needs. With more time and disposable income, people explored new cuisines, and revenue jumped by a third. For the first time, the business became highly profitable.

Our purchase of The Spanish Table was based on the belief — shared by many at the time — that these higher revenues and profits would last. We took on debt to finance the acquisition (deemed entirely reasonable by most involved), hoping for a “roaring 20s” recovery. Instead, inflation hit hard, luxury spending contracted, and by 2023 revenues had returned to 2019 levels, albeit with far higher costs from wage increases, rising cost of goods and all expenses associated with the business.

Meanwhile, shopping habits shifted permanently. Spanish food suppliers expanded into large retail and online outlets, and new competitors — especially on Amazon — made products like Bomba rice or Jamón Ibérico available overnight, often at the same or better prices. Marcona almonds, a cherished Spanish Table specialty, now adorned the top of every Whole Foods olive bar.  Even restaurant owners who used to purchase from us in bulk turned to buying Spanish ingredients from major foodservice vendors who had added these speciality products to their lineups.  Foot traffic fell, shelves thinned, and sales declined further. As if that was not enough, across the industry (and after a continuous 10 year growth spurt in the double digits), alcohol consumption rapidly dropped, decimating our wine and beer business. At present, 15% tariffs on European imports and a weaker dollar will raise prices by upwards of 35%.  The uncertainty of our administrations trade policies so far this year have also made direct imports, which make up 30% of our products, impossible and we are out of many goods we can't buy from others.

Why We Couldn’t Just “Pivot”

We recognized over a year ago that pure retail was under siege. To survive, small shops need to offer experiences (think tastings, classes, wine service) alongside products. In Berkeley, though, the infrastructure and licensing to serve wine and prepare food would have cost over $200,000, an investment we could not justify given the risks. In addition to the costs, our area of Berkeley has seen drastic demographic changes – a formerly vibrant block of shops is now filled with shuttered businesses and homelessness and mental illness deter foot traffic.  We explored partnerships with immediate neighbors in the Iberian food world, but those didn’t come to fruition.

Happily, we have now found collaborative partners in Evergreen Berkeley, which has the facilities and licenses to offer the experiences we envisioned. Sara and Stacie, its new owners, share our love for food, community and creating delight.  This partnership may help shape The Spanish Table’s future, though for now it remains a vision rather than a plan.

Setting the Record Straight

It’s important to state clearly: the decision to close was not due to neglect or lack of effort. Since acquiring the business, our family has invested heavily — financially and personally — to keep it going, committing life savings earned through previous successes. Closing Berkeley and trying to keep San Francisco running comes at significant personal cost, beyond what many might imagine.

Gratitude Above All

We are deeply grateful to our loyal Berkeley and East Bay customers, many of whom will feel this loss as keenly as we do. You, dear customers, made The Spanish Table Berkeley what it was. We’re grateful that you have turned the thousands of paella recipes we've shared into many more moments of delight with your families and friends.  You have turned Albariño and Txakoli from an exotic into a staple, and you've turned our lemon olives into a coveted item.  You have nominated us for Best Specialty Grocery in 2023, and again in 2024 and 2025, and you have been gracious about our decline.  Some of our wine Club members are celebrating a decade of membership.  Thank you all!

We also want to honor the dedicated staff who shaped this place under both past and present ownership. Longtime employee Caty Salas, thought by many to be the true soul of The Spanish Table, spent two decades bringing The Spanish Table to life by building merchandising displays with soul, sending heartfelt newsletters, and ordering delicious products. Jessica Lee, our wine sales manager for over 8 years, has shared her deep passion and knowledge of Spanish wine, especially sherry. Jessica greets new and old customers with a smile, with heart, and with soul.  Her taste and knowledge of wine is superior! These women weren’t highly compensated executives — they were hardworking retail employees whose dedication was extraordinary.  Our most recent store manager and e-commerce lead, Miguel Cedeño, has been a steady captain of the Berkeley ship.  He single handedly runs the store AND our e-commerce department, garnering praise for 5-star customer service and rapid order fulfillment.  He's a living reminder that welcoming friends from outside our borders makes our community richer. Hate and prejudice have no place here.

We also thank the vendors who supplied us — from large companies whose reps were the human face of big brands to small, love-driven businesses much like ours. We hope our final days of Berkeley will let us settle with them.

The End of An Era, The Beginning of New Chapters

While this chapter in Berkeley comes to a close, The Spanish Table continues in San Francisco and online, and we are cautiously optimistic about the road ahead. Between our San Francisco store, our evolving Evergreen Berkeley partnership, and the possibility of expanding into new formats, we are actively exploring ways to secure the brightest future for The Spanish Table. If you share our belief in the enduring value of an Iberian food and wine experience — as an investor, collaborator, or creative partner — we would welcome the opportunity to talk.

No matter how the future unfolds, the memories of this store underscore this: what truly matters is the community around us.  It will remain with us. Thank you for walking through our doors, for trusting us with your celebrations, and for making The Spanish Table more than a place to shop. You have made it a home, a gathering place, and a family — and that is a legacy we will always strive to carry forward.

Yours Truly,

Bastian Schoell, President
The European Table