It was 1999 when Mariano Rios (54) decided to fulfill the dream of his life and open his own hotel establishment, the bar Riga, located at number 8 of Zaragoza de Alagón avenue. “It was the profession to which I had dedicated my whole life – since I was 13 years old – I wanted to dedicate myself to what I am passionate about, for me it was a dream come true”, says the hotelier.
However, the arrival of the health crisis has put professionals in the hospitality sector on the ropes, also in rural areas. “Since last March it is unfeasible to maintain a business of these characteristics. The accounts do not come out. Most of us who keep going we do it out of love for what we do and because it is better to open and lose than to stay at home thinking about it, ”admits Ríos.
In your opinion, Rather than survive, the objective of these months has been “to lose as little as possible”. “A new increase in cases and the adoption of new restrictions could mean the closure of many businesses, not just bars and restaurants,” he recalls.
In his case, after having sent 50% of his staff to the ERTE, limiting capacity and adopting the sanitary measures established in each of the phases, Ríos has decided to bet on two of his great passions: gastronomy and culture, to differentiate himself and trying to weather the health crisis. “In times of crisis, it is time to sharpen your wit, and what better way to do it than by joining forces with another of the sectors most affected by the pandemic, such as culture, ”says the hotelier.
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Although the fact that Riga becomes cultural meeting point In the Zaragoza municipality it is not a novelty because it is something for which Mariano bets from the moment in which he opened the doors of his premises more than two decades ago. In recent years, this establishment has carried out Poetry recitals, book presentations, concerts, conferences and dinners with literary talks: “In a bar, the business takes place from the bar to the inside; outside you can do many things ”.
Furthermore, given that in times of pandemic any detail can become a differentiating fact and, above all, a plus for the residents of the area, Riga has wanted to keep this bet more alive than ever, claiming the importance of the cultural offer also in rural areas. “Alagón is the head of the Ribera Alta del Ebro region and we provide coverage in many aspects to the other 16 municipalities. For those of us who live here, going to an exhibition or a play requires going to the city on our own. It is about bringing this cultural offer to your doorstep”, He asserts.
In fact, last Monday, December 28, a complete art exhibition organized by Montse Navarro, from Galería A del Arte, which has more than twenty works by Aragonese artists such as José Beulas, Eva Armisen, Severino de Llanza or Natalia Bayo, among others.
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The importance of leaning between the little ones
Regarding the gastronomic offer, in addition to adapting to the ‘take away’ format -which, in a town, does not do much either, he admits-, Ríos has chosen to maintain its menu of tapas, portions, sandwiches and mixed dishes, as well their menu of the day. “We make traditional food, that of the grandmother of a lifetime. It is what we like and what we know how to do ”, he claims.
“Before March it would have seemed unthinkable for us to close the bars on a Friday at 8 pm. We are going through a precarious situation and economically it is not enough to cover expenses. The return of the ICOs in March, without aid, could be a disaster ”, he believes. And although he admits that it is better to be able to work, “even if it is little”, he acknowledges that he feels great uncertainty about what may happen in the coming months.
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In addition, remember that small businesses are suffering as much or more than the hospitality sector, that is why he advocates mutual support and solidarity in times of pandemic. “Everything I need I buy in the usual store. I don’t know the owner of the supermarket, I know the butcher, the greengrocer and the fishmonger. TOmore time than ever we have to rely on everything we can “, he claims.
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