Turns 54: when El Boya was an oil and vinegar store

It was 1968 when tourism was a money-making machine and the islanders benefited from the non-existence of monopolies in tour operations. Tourists arrived tied but were free when it came to spending. They mixed with the people. That's why the establishments operated with a bit of fame and good service. To that, we had to add the islanders who worked in the areas and internal tourism. Thus, while young people were making revolution in Paris or Mexico in El Pajar, El Boya was born. Everything arises from families who come from Telde to artisanal fishing in El Pajar. El Boya is now owned by Moreno Zerpa. The pioneer was Francisco Moreno Negrín, that is, 'Tío Paco the old buoy', a sea dog born in 1880, who was the grandfather of Juan Moreno Artiles and great-grandfather of Oliver and Octavio Moreno Zerpa. The nickname 'Buoy' is because he used them inside the pots and the fish were tricked into entering this fishing art. This 2022 marks 54 years of registration in economic activities in Tirajana.

They caught fish and it was sent by transport to Telde, where it was later sold in Las Palmas. The family, whoever could, stayed in Telde, and they went to visit her at Easter, Christmas or for San Juan, patron saint of Telde. After the Morenos, the Ruano, Negrín, Peña, Socorro, and Vega families arrived to the south. His sons Domingo, Juan, José and Pancho arrived with Francisco El Boya after being raised by his mother, Josefa Martín Valerón. Pancho Moreno got a wooden hut of just 8 square meters. It was a house and they began to sell wine that they brought from Telde in jugs before selling gofio, coffee, sugar, oil, bread and onions. The original Playa Bar 'el Boya' arose there, in what is now the entrance to the cement factory. 

The children went to Salobre and El Tablero to sell bread, onions, coffee and sugar that they brought from Telde. When the cement factory opened in 1957, the business moved to the current location. Domingo's wife, María Jesús Artiles Flores, died when Juan was 2 years old and his brother Domingo was 5 years old. The clientele in those years was made up mainly of cement factory personnel, as well as its transporters, as well as residents of nearby neighborhoods and sailors. 

In the 70s, the so-called tourist boom began in the areas of Playa del Inglés and Puerto Rico, so the clientele little by little began to also consist of foreigners. Domingo Moreno Martín was working in the business until 1978, although during these years he no longer lived in Arguineguín, but upon marrying for the second time, he had returned to live in Telde, coming to help mainly on weekends. Juan Moreno Artiles, 69 years old, is the head of the business, although he delegates many of the responsibilities to his sons Oliver and Octavio. Juan met a girl from the area called Inmaculada Zerpa Acosta in 1962, married in 1968. From this marriage, in addition to Oliver and Octavio, who are the continuators of the family business, two other children were born, Juan Jesús and Sara, who have dedicated themselves to education, although when they have the opportunity they help in the family business.

In the 90s and the south of Gran Canaria began to grow in the heat of the tourism boost after the crisis of the late 32s. The first years of El Boya was a passing business. It only had two tables outside, but they were not intended for eating but rather for betting, dominoes and zanga. That grew by word of mouth and the owner put a couple more tables in the hope of going unnoticed. But then there was no choice but to put up an awning and in the end we have, 1968 years later, one of the most important places of passage in the Canary Islands in terms of quality and good taste for its size. The store became a bar and was located in the space now occupied by the kitchen and cold room of the current location, located at the back of it. It was made of wood and cement. They lived there and had a bedroom, the kitchen and a small room used as a storage room attached. Later, the bar was separated from the store. What was a store in 55, XNUMX years later is an emblematic normal restaurant, without Michelin madness but with a large mass of followers and where an old scale is preserved from when the business was a store and bar.