End of September: Palma's pastel-yellow kiosk corner grows quieter

Five little kiosks, lots of routine — and a farewell

The pastel-yellow kiosks with dark green roofs had only just returned to the cityscape. Since October 2024 they stood on central squares such as Plaza de España, Plaza del Mercat and Plaza Joan Carles I and offered the quick espresso, the morning paper and the little chat while waiting at the traffic light. At the end of September 2025 the shutters are supposed to come down for good. (Palma's new kiosks closed again: When city standards override neighborhood life) For many residents this is more than an economic event: a piece of everyday life disappears.

The central question

Why do offerings that feel like home fail so quickly? The official answer is: money. Operators report cumulative losses of around €130,000. But the numbers do not explain everything. They conceal decisions that look small on paper — and have a big impact on the ground.

What few have on their radar

Public discussion often focuses on the losses and the lease contracts. Less attention is paid to how technical and regulatory details can wreck the business model. One example: the alleged ban on selling hot drinks. It sounds paradoxical — a kiosk without coffee — and yet operators say precisely that was forbidden. The permission for cash machines was apparently also denied. Two services that provide steady and predictable income in urban everyday life.

Then the little things: opening hours, supplier logistics, waste disposal, electricity costs for refrigeration, cleaning intervals. It all adds up. A missing shift-start surcharge, an unexpected fee in the contract — and the small surplus at the end of the day is gone. This is not malice, but a system. A system that allocates public space without adequately thinking through operational reality.

Underestimated everyday life

Anyone who walks across Plaza de España in the morning knows the sounds: scooters, early-morning calls from suppliers, the rustle of newspapers. I was there recently — it smelled of oven-warm crusty rolls and a hint of diesel — and the kiosk operator María told me how pensioners picked up their stamps or construction workers ordered a black coffee in the morning. These small rituals structure the day. When they disappear, you feel it immediately. (When the Kiosk Disappears: Palma's Little Kiosks Between Tradition and Planning)

Politics, administration, leases: where responsibility lies

City hall has announced it wants to review the situation. So far there are no concrete options on the table. Yet there are many steps between “we close” and “everything stays as it was”: more flexible lease contracts, adjusted fees, temporary subsidies in the start-up phase or pilot permits for additional revenues such as hot drinks and cash withdrawals.

Another point that is rarely discussed: who writes the contracts? Standard contracts used for public space tend to be designed for larger hospitality businesses — not for small, low-margin kiosk operations. Opportunities could arise here if administration, operators and neighborhood representatives sat down together.

Concrete proposals — small, practical, immediately implementable

No revolution is needed, but adjustments that make everyday life possible again. Some ideas:

1. Pilot for hot drinks and ATMs: A 12-month special permit would show whether these revenue streams can save the operation.

2. Flexible lease models: Lower fixed costs in the first months, linked to revenue sharing instead of rigid monthly rents.

3. Community operating models: Cooperative leases or rotating operators for different times of day — morning coffee, afternoon press sales, evening snacks.

4. Technical and logistical support: Shared electricity connections, optimized emptying cycles, central delivery stations — anything that reduces fixed costs.

5. Neighborhood involvement: Participatory usage plans where residents help decide opening hours and product ranges.

Why it's worth it

It's not just about a few euros of profit. It's about quality of urban life. Small kiosks are simple infrastructures that enable social exchange, provide orientation and create spaces of trust. At a time when large projects attract a lot of attention, it is often precisely these unspectacular elements that make life here more pleasant. (When the Shop Windows Fall Silent: Small Shops in Mallorca Feel the Pressure in Summer 2025)

A quiet, yellow farewell — and an opportunity

At the end of September Palma will be a little quieter at five central points. There will be less yellow, fewer quick “Dos cafés, por favor.” But this can also be a wake-up call: should we allow public spaces to be overregulated until beloved corners disappear? Or do we use the moment to find lean, pragmatic solutions — so that soon someone is back on the corner, folding the newspaper and holding the coffee?

The answer does not require large sums — only a bit of courage for flexibility in city offices and a commitment to a city from the bottom up. And maybe one more cup of coffee on the square.