The Gure Leku bar in Leioa will soon close its doors after nearly 70 years of operation. This establishment, which has been a meeting point for several generations, has decided to retire, leaving behind numerous memories linked to family tradition and the community.
The original premises, opened in 1958 by Juan Goikoetxea Zabala and Josefina Bilbao Sistiaga in Loiu, was both a shop and a bar, "a small universe where you could find everything," recalls their grandson Iker Camiruaga. It was then that a neighbor nicknamed Juan 'El judío' (The Jew), and the entire town came to know it by that name.
In 1985, the business moved to its current location at number 9, Telleria Auzoa. After Juan's passing, Josefina continued at the helm, and their children, Lorea and Gaizka, took over. Following Josefina's death in 2021, the siblings have kept the business going, always maintaining the family spirit.
Lorea retired in 2024, and now Gaizka is hanging up his apron. They have decided to end a story that has sustained three generations, but they do so with pride. "We are sure that Juan and Josefina, wherever they are, are smiling seeing what they built: a united family, a grateful neighborhood, and a legacy that will not be erased," states Iker.
The closure of the bar, in Iker's words, means closing "a home, a meeting point, a refuge of stories, laughter, discussions, celebrations, and hugs." "A piece of Leioa's memory is closing."
