José del Palacio Pérez, a kiosk owner in Valladolid, Spain for over 30 years, describes the decline of his business due to the rise of e-commerce platforms like Amazon. He notes a significant decrease in sales of traditional kiosk items such as sweets and tobacco.
To stay afloat, del Palacio has diversified his offerings, including coffee, phone charging, and package pickup services, in an effort to attract customers.
Del Palacio highlights the personal connections he has made with his customers over the years, describing them as 'family'. Despite the long hours and changing demands, he acknowledges the fulfilling nature of interacting with people. He is now looking forward to retirement to pursue personal interests he's put aside.
He is planning to retire and close his business. He attributes this decision to the long working hours and the financial pressures created by the changing retail landscape.