San Antonio market fades: from piracy paradise to empty flea market

Farewell to trading cards and tapes: the San Antonio market is dying

In the 1990s, the San Antonio market in Madrid was said on television to be the largest software piracy hub in Europe. In the early 90s, anyone wanting a copy of an accounting program or a Commodore game knew where to find it. Today, a visit to the grounds at mid-morning amounts to four stalls with elderly customers, Panini sticker trading far below expectations, and bathrooms that look straight out of the 80s.

The decline has economic readings. Some argue the disappearance is irreversible and depends on the area: some flea markets survive, others fade away beyond repair. The reality is that no new generation is coming through. Interest in comics and old books is concentrated in a handful of loyal regulars, while younger generations never visit these places. Add to that the competition from platforms like eBay, which for more than 25 years have allowed people to buy and sell without leaving home.

Some valuable merchandise remains: a 19th-century book on Freemasonry was once appraised at between 400 and 500 euros, and the same day an antisemitic work by Henry Ford was bought for 20 euros. The problem is not the supply, but who comes looking for it. Speculation by some resellers doesn't help either: the flea market is starting to attract bargain hunters looking to resell, not collectors.

With that mix of nostalgia, digitalization and absence of young people, the question is uncomfortable: when the four faithful who still keep the ritual retire, will anything remain but a crumbling bathroom?