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A Life Between Two Worlds: When Old Furniture Tells Stories
In San Carlos, tucked away in one of those magical corners of Ibiza, a couple leads a life that could easily be described as a parallel universe. He's been on the island for nearly 50 years – a timespan in which much has changed, yet the essence remains.
He arrived in 1978 as a systems engineer from IBM. What began as a classic career evolved into a completely different life philosophy. Today he trades in wood, furniture, and everything the island produces – things people no longer want because they can afford to buy new. "We give things a second, third, sometimes even fourth life," he explains with a smile. Some objects he sells multiple times: people bring them back, he sells them again, and each time the piece carries a new story within it.
His business is more than just a secondhand shop. It's a meeting place of cultures, a mirror of what Ibiza has embodied for 4,000 years: the melting pot of different peoples and social classes. On a single day, he receives people from ten different nations – from the Moroccan looking for a used bicycle, to Ukrainians working for Russian employers who need wood for their fireplaces, to wealthy residents. "That's the real treasure of the island," he says. "This mixture of rich and poor, of different races and cultures."
The Transformation of a Systems Engineer
The path here wasn't straightforward. After arriving in 1978, he initially worked for Abel Matutes, one of the island's major entrepreneurs. But after three or four months, he made a bold decision: he quit and jumped into the unknown. "I didn't know what would happen," he recalls. Financial difficulties followed – money was important back then. But then came the breakthrough idea: collecting wood from various places, delivering and selling it directly. "That was really a good idea, I have to admit," he says with self-irony.
In the mid-90s, he ventured into a new adventure: fashion from Bali for Parisian boutiques. "The fashion world is very deep," he says thoughtfully. The project ended in financial disaster; he went bankrupt several times. But he got back up, continued alone – and today the business is running very well. The island showed him the way, as he puts it. "Life shows you the way if you look."
When the Island Becomes Your Teacher
"Follow the signs" – this phrase he gave to an acquaintance years ago has become his own life motto. For him, Ibiza is an incredibly sensitive place, a location that guides you if you're willing to listen. A year ago, he married his wife Sophie, and together they're evolving. Their shared activities revolve around trees, forests, and caring for the island.
Surprisingly, for decades he never went to the beach. Only through Sophie did he discover this side of Ibiza. Today he enjoys that they can be at a lonely, beautiful beach in just five minutes. "Sometimes I think: how could I live so many years without the beach? But you know, that's the beauty of evolution."
The Island in Transition – Yet Unchanging
Many people believe Ibiza has changed dramatically. From March to October, eight million visitors flood the island – eight million! "It can't be like the old days," he admits. The music has changed, the drugs, the people. Yet the island itself remains a very special place in this world. It has so many magical spots you can visit all year round, where you can feel alone with the countryside, with the sea.
The times when he could leave the door of his old country house open are over. He lived that way for 20 years, but with eight million visitors, there are inevitably people with bad intentions. "They have to fight for their own karma and grow in different ways than we do," he says with a mixture of pragmatism and compassion. "We have to accept that and have a lot of love and compassion for all these people."
His ability to read people has refined over the years. In the past, he could communicate with everyone on any frequency. Today he quickly senses when something isn't right – then he politely steps aside and lets people go their way. "It's very important to know who the people are that are in your boat," he says wisely.
In his shop in San Carlos, among old furniture and stacks of wood, between stories and encounters, he lives a life that demonstrates: Ibiza isn't just a place for parties and summer. It's a place of transformation, of second chances – for people as well as for things.
