The story of Ale-Hop really is a Costa Blanca story.
Young lad Vicent Grimalt grew up in Gata de Gorgos, not far from Dénia and about 50km north of Benidorm.
Famous for its wickerwork and artisan crafts it was a place that eventually gave birth to the nascent idea of a gift shop with a difference.
The entrepreneurial spirit Vicent had developed working in the wholesale trade would, in 2001, manifest itself into the first Ale-Hop which opened its doors on Calle Paz in the heart of Valencia.
And it was this first shop that created the original Ale-Hop template — bright, cheerful, bursting with colour, and with a very unusual greeter standing at the door.
The Cow & The Bell
No element of the Ale-Hop experience is more iconic — or more talked about — than the life-size Holstein cow that stands sentinel at the entrance of every single store.
She is the brand’s mascot, its calling card, and quite possibly the most photographed cow in the world!
The Famous Ale-Hop Cow
Ale-Hop wanted a mascot that was friendly, surprising, photogenic, and universally recognisable.
A cow ticked every box, adding a sense of humour to the shopping experience.
And in a world where shops often look the same, the cow became an instant landmark.
Then there’s the bell.
Cowbell at La Cala
Many Ale-Hop cows wear a classic cowbell around their neck, and ringing it has become something of an unwritten tradition.
Although it’s completely optional, countless visitors — especially kids and tourists — can’t resist giving the bell a quick ring as they pass.
Some do it for luck, some for fun, and others simply because it’s there. In the busiest summer towns, the bell rings so often it becomes part of the soundtrack of the street!
A Spanish Empire
From that single store in Valencia, Ale-Hop has grown into one of Spain’s most remarkable success stories with well over 330 outlets throughout the mainland and islands.
And with 2,000 plus employees it genuinely has turned into an Iberian superstar brand.
Advances into Portugal, Italy and Croatia have also seen Ale-Hop extend its (cow)print across the continent — but still no presence in the UK!
Benidorm & Ale-Hop
Benidorm and Ale-Hop were, in many ways, made for each other.
And over the years holidaymakers to Benidorm have fallen in love with the Ale-Hops dotted across the resort.
As one of Europe’s most visited destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of tourists each year — and British visitors making up a huge proportion of that number — searching for the sunshine, the beaches, the nightlife, and the sheer exuberance of the place, Ale-Hop fits perfectly into that sense of joie de vivre.
Ale-Hop Bench!
In fact for many British visitors, popping into an Ale-Hop has morphed into an essential part of their Benidorm experience — as much a tradition as a night on The Strip or a noisy lunch in Tapas Alley — and they keep coming back, year after year, for another ring of the bell and another bag of things they didn’t know they needed!
