Happy Pills 15 Jan 2008

Sandwiched between two buildings on Avinguda del Portal de l'Angel in Barcelona, the Happy Pills shop is easy to miss...That is, it would be, if it wasn't for the crowd gathered outside.

What is it? It's a great lesson on how to differentiate yourself in a long-established and extremely competitive market, that's what. From MoCo Loco's blog:

"Once inside, you're met by a wall of various gummie candies. You pick what size 'prescription' you want, then you fill the bottle up to your liking. After that, they seal the bottle with a tamper-proof cap and let you choose which label best suits your mood, in either Spanish or English."

There's nothing new or exciting about the candy they sell, of course - it's typical sweet shop fare - however the customer experience is completely unique and lives on in the memory long after the cola bottles, flying saucers and licorice ropes have been devoured.