Tijuana is, without a doubt, a city with a lot of history as, by being close to the border, it has been the stage of many situations that usually don't happen in Central or Southern Mexico. In addition, citizens here have a cultural mix between Mexican and American customs.

The city has several different reference spots such as places (CECUT, Plaza Río, UABC, roundabouts), neighborhoods (20 de noviembre, Otay, Hipódromo, Cacho) and areas (Downtown, 5 y 10) who many residents and tourists use to visit and move around the city.

“5 y 10”, a very unique name

One of Tijuana's main central points, and one of its busiest areas, is La Mesa, which directly connects with other parts of the city. Informally, it is known as "5 y 10" but why is it called this way?

According to an investigation by the page “Tijuana en el Tiempo”, in the city there used to be a store franchise called "5 y 10" where, as it name implies, several products were sold at 5 and 10 cents of a dollar. The first branch was located in 2nd Street in Downtown Tijuana and opened in 1946.

This store was an imitation of the American shop “5 & 10 Cent Store” by the F. W. Woolworth company which had a sales system of products with only one price. The popularity of this store was quite evident, and after it underwent new management, more stores were opened, the first of them located in La Mesa. Due to its big "5 y 10" sheet numbers, they became a good reference point for public transportation buses which were just arriving in the city, as they had a base of operations near this business.

Due to the city's constant growth, the cars in the area, and the nearby pedestrian bridge, the store became more popular, so people started using the name "5 y 10" as a reference for the entire area.

Its legacy remains still to this day

Though this store closed definitely in 1987, its impact was so great that people took it as a reference point through generations, which means that nowadays people still use its name.

The name has influenced even infrastructure, as plazas, malls, and shops have used the name “5 y 10” so that people can find their location easier; this can be seen on Google Maps.

Citizens still remember a Tijuana from the past

On Facebook, people have shared memories of this area through the group titled “Tijuana viejos y nuevos recuerdos”. Here, internet users have shared their experiences, even with people who used to live in the surrounding area.

In this group, they shared two photos comparing the express branch "5 y 10" store located between Boulevard Aguacaliente and Avenida Miguel Negrete.

Click here if you wish to watch the complete video by Tijuana en el Tiempo and learn all about the history of this area!

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