We take a look at one of the oldest shops in the city. Did you know that, until not so long ago, you could buy a piano and a spool of thread in the same place? Benavent was like a "Harrods of the village", one of the mythical establishments where you could always find what you were looking for. Thus, in the heart of Jávea, Casa Benavent or Ca Benavent, as it was popularly known in Valencian, was founded in 1914 by Francisco Benavent Taroncher, an entrepreneur from Antella (Valencia) married to María Catalá Sancho, from Jávea.

Miguel Benavent Catalá was the one who continued the business in the same place as his father. A virtuoso musician who, from the 1920s until 1933, played the piano in the theatre and in the Espinós Cinema to entertain the silent films of the time.

At Casa Benavent, customers could find services, as parcel delivery, groceries, stationery, perfumery, hardware, drugstore, musical instruments, lingerie, haberdashery, religious articles, cookware, baby clothes, corset shop, motorbikes, Orbea and BH bicycles, shotguns, fishing equipment, industrial supplies, paintings... It is hard to imagine that, in times of great scarcity, our ancestors could enjoy such a wide range of products.

Casa Benavent. You can see the variety of products that were available to buy.

Today Miguel Benavent Ribes, the third generation of the family who owns the shop with his wife Mari Carmen Sendra, is with us to talk about Casa Benavent:

Miguel tells us that the success of Casa Benavent lies with his parents Miguel and Catalina. "The shop was his passion, he never wanted to travel, to go on cruises as his friends told him, because he had to serve his customers from Monday to Monday, as on many Sundays, the parcels had to be sent to Valencia by bus and vice versa".

In 1972 the shop with three levels was inaugurated, from that moment on, Casa Benavent stopped having a hardware store in order to focus its business on other areas. During the musical instruments phase, Casa Benavent sold almost fifty pianos, supplying many homes in Jávea and the surrounding area with the best brands. The transport of pianos and electrical appliances began with two motorcars and finally, Miguel Benavent Ribes acquired the legendary Renault van, the "Cuatro Latas", which became an icon of the municipality, due to its colors and logo.

Casa Benavent is still in the same place, in “Virgen del Pilar” street with its centenary brown and yellow tiles, run by other people who have inherited the loyal clientele and the advice of Miguel and Mari Carmen.

CASA BENAVENT, AN ICON

Miguel Benavent Catalá was the one who continued the business in the same place as his father. A virtuoso musician who, from the 1920s until 1933, played the piano in the theatre and in the Espinós Cinema to entertain the silent films of the time.

Today Miguel Benavent Ribes, the third generation of the family who owns the shop with his wife Mari Carmen Sendra, is with us to talk about Casa Benavent:

Casa Benavent is still in the same place, in “Virgen del Pilar” street with its centenary brown and yellow tiles, run by other people who have inherited the loyal clientele and the advice of Miguel and Mari Carmen.