Bilbao now joins cities like Seoul, Milan, Dubai, and Warsaw in hosting an exclusive IQOS boutique, designed to provide consumers with a completely different shopping experience. The new establishment is situated in the heart of Bilbao's Golden Mile, at the crossroads of Ercilla and Rodríguez Arias streets, a strategic point in the city.
“"Bilbao joins Seoul, Milan, Dubai or Warsaw, only a handful of cities in the world, that have boutiques focused on providing the consumer with a completely different shopping experience."
Alejandro Flores, Director of Philip Morris's Smoke-Free Products category and Marketing Director for IQOS, explained that IQOS began in Spain ten years ago, in 2016, as an alternative to conventional cigarettes. Its aim is to offer a better way for adult smokers who wish to continue smoking. Flores underscored that this new store demonstrates the investment the company is making in Bilbao and the Basque Country.
Unlike traditional cigarettes, which burn tobacco and produce harmful toxins, IQOS heats tobacco without burning it, delivering flavor and an experience that reduces toxic particles found in cigarette smoke by up to 95%. Cristina Moral, Store Manager of the Bilbao boutique, noted that this store focuses on the sensory aspect, including an aroma-emitting machine, allowing customers to explore flavors and determine their preferences, offering a more interactive experience compared to stores in Madrid, Barcelona, or Valencia.
The modern, almost futuristic venue features a corten steel installation on the ceiling, created by the artist Guillermo Olmo from Amezketa. The inauguration party was enlivened by Penny Lane DJ (Zuriñe Ortega) and featured a performance by the Kukai company, whose dancers moved to the rhythm of the txalaparta, blending tradition with modernity. Attendees included notable figures such as Andrea Zaragoza, Rubén Baz, Marianna Cherubini, Bárbara Sanchís, Sergi García, Luis Andreu, and Antón Ilarduya, among many others.
