Life, art, and photography are fleeting. This project was born from —and continues to grow through— a concept of resilience. We see it as something ever-changing: adapting to the market and the goals we want to achieve, while keeping its core identity. Our challenge is to avoid monotony, and we put our heart and dedication into making the gallery grow and evolve.

The idea of "ikigai" still guides how we work. Enjoying the process, taking pride in the details, and doing things properly even when no one’s watching. It’s a reminder to focus on the craft, what we’re passionate about, and let the results speak for themselves.

Analog processes still have much to teach us. Part of our inspiration comes from sharing the photographic legacy inherited from photographer José Hernández Claire, Leonardo's father, and architect Salvador de Alba, Sergio's grandfather, both passionate about photography and who had their own darkroom at home.

I wanted to combine two of my passions: enjoying something delicious, different, and well-made while reading or listening to music. I've always felt a special connection with print media and with "informal" reading —the kind you enjoy without screens and without rushing.

In the book world, it's a common saying that you'll never have the book a customer asks for. Our bookstore is more about being captivated by the opportunity presented by a book that happens to occupy a certain space.

Bookstores have basic routines: sweeping, taking out the trash, organizing books, etc. One of the most exciting moments happens when books arrive that need to be cataloged, appraised, or even researched. The world of used books is a map without end.

My partner and I are fans of design, photography, music, architecture; we constantly keep in mind the words of Rulfo, O’Gorman, Fernanda Canales, Puma Blue, Men I Trust, Ultra 54. They help us fill the space with ideas, materials and sounds. 

With Mariana Enríquez, we would perform an invocation with several initiated magicians, followed by a horror reading. With Camila Sosa, a session with mezcal and boleros about unrequited love, followed by a performance of her latest thesis novel about domestication.

We expanded our ideas, our activities, our commitment to the world of books, to our community, to the causes we consider just. We broadened our way of thinking and seeing the world of books in which we were moving.

What always guides us is the certainty that within the chaos that this great city can be, there are always those who seek an oasis of tranquility. And our intention is that they find it at Clarice.

We learned, in part, from Max Ramos, one of Mexico's most important booksellers, to respect and dignify the bookselling profession. We consider it a profession with a beautiful tradition, one that has also faced the challenges of modern life.

The bookstore was born from the idea of ​​bringing rare, unique, collectible, and hard-to-find books to readers from different parts of the world. From the beginning, we sought to offer a different perspective on books, one that fosters a sense of discovery.