From Madrid to Miami: Designing San Ginés’ First Store in the United States

We are thrilled to share our work for San Ginés’ debut store in the United States. With a rich 129-year history, it is widely recognized as one of Madrid’s oldest chocolate shops and a popular tourist destination. Its name comes from the San Gines passageway, an alley connecting the Puerta del Sol and the Royal Theater. San Ginés became highly popular, as people would enjoy hot chocolate and churros after visiting the theater. Additionally, it was a favorite haunt of renowned figures from the artistic and literary world.

Famous for its traditional techniques and the unique flavors of its chocolate, churros, and porras, San Ginés began to expand globally, opening branches in Tokyo, Shanghai, Colombia, Mexico, and Argentina. Now, with Miami as its starting point, it seeks to grow its presence in the United States, and Mico was the chosen studio to design its store located on Collins Avenue.

Our typical approach involves researching the brand’s distinctive design elements. In this case, we focused on a number of key decorative features, such as the black and white photos on the walls, the curved counter for customer service, the porcelain flooring, and the green upholstery. Here are some of our renderings:

The challenge was to adapt San Ginés’ traditional style to the vibrant environment of South Beach. We aimed to preserve the essence of the Madrid location by using green on the counter tiles and planters, as well as gold on the hardware and other details. At the same time, we give it a modern touch with the geometric porcelain tile floors and wall sconces, which also provide pleasant indirect ambient lighting. We chose backless stools for the high tables and lattice rattan chairs facing the banquette sofa to bring a feeling of airiness. Through light wood furniture, we amplified and gave light and warmth to the spaces. 

We made sure to pay special attention to reproducing the brand’s most unique decorative feature: its collection of photographs. These images display famous personalities from all over the globe who have visited San Ginés throughout the years.

Thanks to the commitment and dedication of our entire team, we accomplished a contemporary and elegant ambiance. It was a privilege to lead the design and execution project for a family business with over a century of history and contribute to maintaining and spreading its legacy through our creative proposal.

Although churros and chocolate are its most outstanding products, San Ginés offers a complete menu of Spanish-American fusion cuisine with savory options. If you are in Miami, don’t miss the chance to try some of its gastronomic proposals. By the way, you can get a close look at our work and tell us what you think.

Now that we wrap this awesome project, we couldn’t help but share this photo that reflects the emotion and joy we felt every step of the way.

Thank you for following along with us!