Panama, Casco Viejo, Casco Antiguo
I came across a magazine called Cuasimodo, which was edited back in the early Republic days. This ad was found in a 1919 magazine, I have to say it is one of my favorites. Stores back then sold everything… at the same place and under the same counter. Items like “soap” were written in BIG BOLD LETTERS, as they were luxury items. Medicines were labeled (hum… were they labeled?) basically “drugs”, and claims of them curing anything would be based on the reputation of whomever sold that jar with pungent dark liquid in it to you.
“El Cielo”, or “The Heaven” listed the items that made it famous or popular. Included, and I`m sure not limited to: rifles, guns, buttons, lace, ladies stalkings, sewing machines, lace, handkerchiefs and shoe soles. Please note that in big bold letters it says: MATA BICHOS (bug killer) and SOAP. Hey, we might have been a rough town, but at least we smelled good!
