“Más que Fresas” closed its Cartagena city centre store after 5 months. The “Más que Fresas” store on Calle del Carmen in Cartagena operated for only five months before closing its doors. The premises are now up for rent, and the brand continues to operate solely in Murcia. Once again, the city centre is losing a specialized business.
The 'Más que Fresas' shop on Calle del Carmen in Cartagena closed less than six months after opening. The premises, which until recently sold signature strawberry desserts, is now seeking a new tenant through Inversa Inmobiliaria. This is another loss for the center of Cartagena: the street, traditionally considered one of the city's busiest commercial arteries, is once again facing tenant turnover.
The 'Más que Fresas' chain specializes in fresh strawberry desserts and has become a notable player in the region in recent years. The first shop in Cartagena opened in December, just before Christmas, but after only five months the brand decided to pull the project. As noted by Talent24h, information about the Cartagena shop has disappeared from the company’s official website, and only two active addresses in Murcia remain in the contact section.
Reasons for closure
According to the Union of Self-Employed Professionals and Workers (UPTA), renting a commercial space of 80 m² in the center of Cartagena, Murcia, or Lorca costs businesses from 700 to 1,800 euros per month. For small shops, this can account for up to 40% of all expenses, which significantly affects business sustainability. In the case of 'Más que Fresas', the high rental cost and overall commercial instability may have been key factors in the closure.
According to Talent24h, the chain continues to operate in Murcia: the first shop opened on Gran Vía Alfonso X el Sabio, and the second in the Thader shopping center. The Cartagena venture was less successful, and now a 'for rent' sign has reappeared on Calle del Carmen.
Market dynamics
The situation with 'Más que Fresas' does not appear to be an exception for the center of Cartagena. In January, the Candem bar opened on the same street, occupying the former Café di Roma premises, and such projects as Mojigata & Bico de Xeado on Puerta de Murcia Street closed in 2025. This confirms the trend of high tenant turnover in the city's historic center.
Meanwhile, new formats continue to develop in Murcia: for example, the region recently saw the opening of its first official Lego store, which local entrepreneurs believe could revive interest in shopping centers and attract new audiences. To learn more about how unusual collections and new formats appear in Spain, read our piece on the release of commemorative coins featuring Ibáñez's characters — more details here.
What's next
The closure of 'Más que Fresas' on Calle del Carmen is yet another example of how rental pressure and unstable demand are affecting small businesses in Spanish cities. For Cartagena residents, this means the disappearance of another specialty shop, and for the market, it is yet another signal of the need to adapt to new economic realities. For now, the premises in the city center remain vacant while entrepreneurs search for new formats capable of withstanding competition and high costs.
