Magatzems Jorba marks 100 years since Barcelona inauguration

The Magatzems Jorba department stores in Barcelona marked the centenary of their inauguration at the corner of Portal de l’Àngel and Santa Anna. Originally established as a family business by Pere Jorba i Gassó in Manresa in 1911, the company expanded to Barcelona, eventually opening its landmark 'Palacio Comercial' in 1926.

The Barcelona building, designed by architect Arnald Calvet i Peyronill, featured a classicist aesthetic inspired by the Galeries Lafayette in Paris. It was notable for being the first commercial building in the Iberian Peninsula to be equipped with mechanical escalators. The building's facade includes a sculptural group by artist Lluís Faulí bearing the motto 'Labor omnia vincit'.

Family members Maria and Pere Jorba i Mas recall the legacy of the establishment, noting its diverse sections including jewelry, perfumery, and shirtmaking. During the Spanish Civil War, the family used empty shirt boxes to store tobacco when supplies were scarce.