At the intersection of Passeig de Gràcia and Aragó, in the 1920s, a huge sign announces Service Station José ManzanaresAll around, advertisements for the car brands Firestone and Petrol promise speed and progress in a Barcelona still moved by trams, carriages, and an archaic open-air railway that runs along Aragó Street. Cars are few and far between, but they already exist. In fact, at this point in the city, many are seen. Workers attend to them: they fill up their cars, check their oil, and clean their windows. Meanwhile, the drivers make a coffee nearby. No one knows it then, but this American-inspired experiment—the first service station in the entire state—will eventually become one of Barcelona's most emblematic businesses: Servei Estació.