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1923 Gonzalez Padin Co. Store San Juan, Puerto Rico Grand Opening Token
This token celebrates the grand opening of the Ganzalez Padin Co. Store in San Juan Puerto Rico. The building on the obverse of the token celebrates the building which was considered the first Puerto Rico Sky Scraper and is an Old San Juan landmark building.
In 1923, at a cost of $750,000, González Padín would move to a new building which was built in the Main Plaza of San Juan, and would open their flagship store which became the \"First Commercial Skyscraper\" in Puerto Rico. San Juan finally had a large department store, facing the Plaza de Armas. The company continued its pioneering work in many details that were later on commonly used by businesses on the island. It was the first store to offer the home delivery service, and to have \"a price for everyone\", as the fixed price system that later on governed commerce on the island.[5][6]
González Padín flagship store in San Juan in 1923
In 1949, a large display case was decorated for Christmas for the first time, inspired by the Adoration of the Magi. It caused a tremendous impact, as human-sized mannequins were used dressed in allegorical clothing. With this, a tradition began: every year, during the Christmas season, thousands of people, especially children, would wait for the Christmas decorations by González Padín, in Old San Juan
