This emblematic business, established in 1944 by Alejandro Palarea Ladeveze on Rambla Pulido and later relocated to Suárez Guerra street in 1968, was a cornerstone of traditional commerce in the capital of Tenerife. For decades, Perfumería Palarea specialized in perfumes and toiletries, adapting to changes in urban trade throughout the 20th century by incorporating professional hairdressing and aesthetic products.
The sign rescued by Insula Signa represents the main material vestige of this historic establishment. It stands out for its large corporeal letters and for retaining a neon signage system on its lower strip, a luminous technique very common in the 20th century but almost extinct today, which enhances its patrimonial and technical value.
The rescue of this sign not only preserves a graphic element, but also techniques and forms of commercial communication now in disuse.
The Insula Signa Cultural Association has expressed its gratitude to María Luisa Palarea Morales for her generous donation, which has been crucial for the preservation of this valuable testimony of Santa Cruz de Tenerife's graphic heritage. With this acquisition, the association continues its work of safeguarding and highlighting the fragile cultural legacy of the Canary Islands, which often disappears without a trace.
