ABOUT LA TIENDA

- On the web since 1996
- Bilingual, family company
- Working with artisanal and small family firms in Spain

Our family founded La Tienda in 1996 to share a taste of the grace and warmth of Spain, which has brought joy to our lives. It is now the leading provider of fine Spanish products in the United States, offering over 800 products and delivering tens of thousands of orders each year.

In 2008 we launched our European operation, offering the same excellent service to customers across Europe and in the U.K. Our warehouse is located in the city of Jijona in the sunny region of Alicante. It has been a wonderful journey of growth for our family and our company.

The love affair began with my first visit to Spain in the late 1960's. Spain resonated in my heart from the very first moment I stepped ashore as a young US Navy chaplain almost 40 years ago. This affection grew as my wife and I covered the byways of rural Spain, starting a forty-year exploration of the age-old traditions of each region. We experienced a culture where family ties are central, children are cherished by all, and generations gather to share their lives with one another while enjoying wholesome food

As the years passed, my wife Ruth and I had our own family of three sons. Then, in 1973, I was assigned to the Base Naval de Rota, and we found a classic home in the old section of El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz) where the atmosphere was filled with the aroma of the sherry bodegas.

As we lived among our Andalucían neighbors, our family grew to admire their very personal way of life - a little of which we have absorbed into our lives. Our appreciation for traditional Spanish culture has grown ever stronger over the years, and now as a family we are in a position to return the blessing we received from these warm and loving neighbors.

Each year members of our grown family travel through rural Spain, meeting new families of artisan producers that share our values. We are eager to support their traditional way of life by bringing their products to a broader market, helping them to stay connected to the land and their traditions.

We value how their production of foods has a pace and method that is sustainable and nourishing to the spirit. For this reason we seek out the hand-raised, hand-harvested, hand-made, authentic fruit of their labor. Whenever possible, we bring to you wild, organic and/or natural versions of the products we find.

As we continue to grow, we remain a family company, directly involved in every part of La Tienda - from product selection and importation, to the production of our web site, to ensuring that your package arrives at your home in excellent condition.

We have gathered a loyal and committed bilingual staff that works with us to provide you with attentive service and personal contact. Every shipment is carefully hand-packed in an environmentally responsible manner in our modern pick-and pack facility, and shipped to arrive in peak condition. We ship to thousands of families across America and Europe each month.

... all this so that you can enjoy in your home the authentic flavor of Spain that has enriched our lives. Our family stands behind all that we send you. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Welcome to La Tienda.

Tu Amigo,

Don Harris

Now how exactly did the Harris family get so involved with Spain?

Our appreciation of the traditional Spanish culture began about forty-five years ago, and continues to grow each year as our family visits more of the by-ways of Spain, experiencing the regional traditions that make Spain unique. In particular, we value the ways that artisans produce their food. They have a pace and method that is time honored, and we are committed to supporting their traditional way of life by bringing their hand made products to a broader market.

Don, the father of the family, first experienced Spain when he stepped ashore as a young US Navy chaplain in 1965. Eight years later, he and his wife Ruth raised their young family among the sherry bodegas of El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz) when Don was stationed at Base Naval de Rota. As they enjoyed life with their sons in a Spanish neighborhood, they grew to appreciate the personal dimension of Spanish life where children are cherished, and family ties are central. They have carried that appreciation forward into the formation of La Tienda.com where two of their three sons, Jonathan and Tim, are responsible for the day to day operation of the business.

Jonathan, the middle son of three, has been with LaTienda.com since the very beginning and is responsible for the look and feel of the website and our catalog. A fine arts major, musician and cook, Jonathan spent a summer walking the Camino de Santiago during college and returned to walk it again with his wife Stacey several years later for their honeymoon.

Tim, the eldest, is responsible for much of the operational and financial side of the business and joined LaTienda.com in 2002 after founding and operating several Internet startups during the 90's. He spent his first years of primary school at El Centro Ingles in El Puerto de Santa Maria and returned many times to Spain while growing up.

Christopher, the youngest, is a diplomat with the US Foreign Service and while not involved with the business directly, consults closely with his family on LaTienda matters.

For a more detailed account of haw La Tienda.com came to be, you can read Don's reflection A Love Affair with Spain: How La Tienda Began.