The businessman was co-owner of the municipal bullring until 2015
The businessman Francisco Montoya García, belonging to the third generation of one of the oldest and best-known merchant sagas in Lorca, died on Wednesday at the age of 82 after a long illness. His name is linked to some of the most traditional stores in Lorca, such as Galerias Montoya, founded in 1903 by his family. The wholesaler and retailer of fabrics, garments, knitwear and clothing began working in his family’s business when he was very young. He was one of the forerunners of the Lorca business association movement in the 1970s and ran businesses in Lorca, Murcia and Cartagena. He managed to have twelve establishments running at the same time with 75 employees under his charge and was a pioneer in establishing the first fashion franchises in Lorca with firms such as Mango, Etxart & panno and Pronovias.
Francisco Montoya was a born entrepreneur, who knew how to face adversity to carry out his businesses and who maintained the illusion of buying and selling until his last days, a commercial charisma inherited by his son Francisco, who has taken over from the saga Montoya in his fourth generation in the Corredera street feud. A great fan of the world of bullfighting, he was co-owner of the hundred-year-old Sutullena bullring until 2015, when he was forced to sell it to the City Council as he was unable to afford the million-dollar restoration of the building, which was badly damaged by earthquakes and that appears in the catalog of protected assets of the city.
Montoya liked to manage the sale of tickets for bullfighting festivities and always insisted that the best bullfighting figures make the paseo through the Alamedas arena in Lorca. He kept a list of all the bullfighters and the trophies of each one and wanted to write a book about his experiences in the bullring, in whose maintenance he invested more money each year than he earned from his rent for bullfights and musical shows during the fair. September. He repaired the wood of the box, the alley and the burladeros and any damage, so that the historic building designed by Justo Millán was kept in perfect condition.
Art and travel lover
This businessman also wanted to approach the world of politics and became a local spokesman for Alianza Popular for several years. In addition, he collaborated as a columnist for the newspaper LA VERDAD, and the articles published in the ‘From the rooftop’ section were compiled in a book that was published last year.
A lover of art and travel, his wife, his three children and his four grandchildren were essential in the life of Francisco Montoya, which included a daily walk along the Corredera, between the family businesses and the friends who came his way, with who displayed his great sense of humor. See you forever.
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