Palma recognizes as emblematic the Alaska kiosk, which was on the verge of disappearing

PalmaThe Alaska kiosk in Plaça del Mercat has been incorporated into the Registry of Emblematic Establishments of the Palma City Council, along with eight other businesses. With these new additions, the registry managed by the PalmaActiva Commerce area reaches 135 protected establishments.

In addition to Alaska, Armeria Serra-Pizá, Barquillos Galindo, Bar Tulsa, Bazar Las Palmeras, Cafè l'Auba, Corsetería De Tot, Mobles Massís, and Pastisseria Real are now part of the registry. The catalog recognizes businesses with special historical, social, or heritage value for the city.

The incorporation of the Alaska kiosk comes almost three years after the controversy generated by the remodeling project of the Plaça del Mercat. In October 2023, the City Council announced that the reform would involve replacing the current kiosk with a new structure adapted to current regulations and accessibility criteria. The Councilor for Urbanism, Óscar Fidalgo, assured at the time that "the Alaska kiosk will not be the current one, but another new one", and defended the changes to adapt it to the new image of the square.

The announcement provoked a citizen mobilization to prevent its disappearance. The platform Rotuïlla Mallorca, driven by graphic designer Toni Sorell in defense of graphic heritage, promoted a signature collection for the City Council to reconsider the project.

Finally, in January 2024, the City Council modified the planned reform to preserve both the Alaska bar and the square's ficus tree, which is currently in the process of being cataloged. The change also provided for the displacement of Antoni Maura's statue and its bench by a few meters to separate them from the tree.The requirements for shops to obtain this emblem status from the Palma City Council are based on the age or uniqueness of the activity they carry out. In the first case, it is established at 75 years, while uniqueness comes from its recognition by the technical commission that evaluates the applications.

The commission has left the establishments Ca Donya Àngela, Carnes Comas, Forn La Mallorquina and Gilet Oficinas out of the 2026 catalog due to cessation of activity.The Councilor for Commerce, Restoration, and Self-Employed, Lupe Ferrer, has highlighted that with these new additions, a catalog is continuously strengthened that recognizes "the trajectory, uniqueness, and rootedness of businesses" that have been able to maintain themselves "over the years, adapting to changes without losing their essence".In addition, he said that "preserving and giving visibility to these establishments is a way of protecting the commercial memory of Palma and, at the same time, of highlighting the contribution they make to the economic, social and cultural dynamism of the municipality".Data of new emblematic establishments

Las Palmeras Bazaar • Passeig de Bartomeu Barceló i Mir, 13 • category 2A

• Located on Passeig de Barceló i Mir, it is currently run by brothers Toñibel and Toni Fiol Pastor, the 3rd family generation.
• Business founded in 1961 by his grandmother and specializing in recreational and sport fishing, a pioneer in online sales and in its location in the area; it participates in sports events, gives awareness talks, organizes fishing competitions in which it promotes catch and release and sustainable fishing.
• Complies with the requirement of singularity and also with the qualitative element of generational change and of not having moved from the place.

Mobles Massís • Avinguda del Comte de Sallent, 5 • category 2A

• Establishment open on Comte de Sallent avenue, headed by M. de Lluch Mir and M. de Lluch Fernández –3rd and 4th generation– dedicated to the sale of furniture, which emerged from the business group Grupo D’Mir SA, which carries on the family tradition dating back to the 1940s.
• It meets the seniority requirement and also the qualitative element of generational change.

Bar Tulsa • Comtat del Rosselló Square, 7 • category 2A

• In Plaça del Comtat del Rosselló, which dates from 1951 and is currently run by the González Calvo brothers since 1997.
• Known for the preparation of snacks, variats, and llonguets, among others.
• It meets the seniority requirement and also the qualitative element of not having moved to be part of the 2026 catalog.

Corsetería De Tot • c. de Jafudà Cresques, 1-B • category 2A

• Located on Jafudà Cresques street and owned by Ana M. Salvà, who succeeded her parents and her partner.
• Establishment specialized in corsetry, with personalized and online sales, and in prosthetic and post-operative articles.
• Complies with the requirement of uniqueness and also with the qualitative elements of generational change and of not having moved from the place.

Pastisseria Real • Reis Catòlics, 79 • category 1A

• Business originating from family tradition from Llubí, a town where they also had a bakery. The 3rd and 4th generations currently work there.
• It meets the requirement of seniority and uniqueness, as well as the qualitative elements of generational renewal and not having changed location.

Armeria Serra Pizá • c. de Manacor, 54 • category 2A

• Dated 1978. It was opened by partners Rafael Pizá and Francisco Serra. Since 2008 it has been run by Rafael Pizá's sons (Rafael and Tomeu).
• Specialized shop for hunting and shooting articles.
• It meets the requirement of uniqueness and also the qualitative elements of generational change and not having moved from the place.

Barquillos Galindo • c. d’Antoni Ribas, 46 • category 1A

• Business founded in 1927, originally as a factory for cork stoppers and wafers.
• Currently, the 4th and 5th generations are running it, maintaining the artisanal production of wafers with natural products.
• It meets the requirement of seniority and uniqueness, and also the qualitative element of generational renewal.

Cafè l’Auba • c. de Manacor, 117 • categoria 2A

• Business originally founded in 1842, in one of the first neighborhoods formed outside the historic center of Palma, in Els Hostalets.
• It has a long history behind it, with different names and owners. It was known as bar Gost, La Imparcial, Gris…
• Rafael Ramis took over the baton in 1982 and continues with the support of his son, Daniel.
• Meets the age requirement and also the qualitative element of not having moved.

Alaska Kiosk • Market Square, 6A • category 1A

• It is one of the best-known and reference establishments in the city, it meets the requirement of antiquity and uniqueness and, also, it meets the qualitative element of not having moved location to be part of the 2026 catalogue and with category 1A open since 1935.
• It has gone from a soft drink and ice cream kiosk to become a benchmark for popular dining in Palma.