The Mechanical Heart of Aranjuez: When the Neighborhood Smelled of Oil and Iron
If you walk today along Carrera 50 with Calle 87, in the Aranjuez neighborhood of Medellín, the first thing that hits you is not the noise of cars, but the silence. Twenty years ago, this was a place where the sound of wrenches against metal, the smell of gasoline, and the voices of mechanics haggling over carburetor prices mixed in an orderly chaos. For decades, Aranjuez was the epicenter of the auto parts and heavy machinery trade in the city. But today, in May 2026, that landscape is fading like the smoke from an old engine.
The history of this neighborhood is tied to the industrialization of Medellín. Since the 1950s, when the city began to grow northward, Aranjuez became the natural destination for mechanical workshops and auto parts stores. Its proximity to the Autopista Norte and easy access from downtown made it perfect. But what truly defined it was the people: the owners of those stores, many of them children of mechanics, who learned the trade by watching their fathers disassemble engines in the backyard.
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Today, those same stores are closing. One after another. Gentrification arrived with apartment buildings and fast-food joints. The digitalization of commerce—platforms like Mercado Libre or Amazon—took customers away from the counters. And, above all, the generational handover never came. The owners' children don't want to inherit a business that requires waking up early, getting their hands dirty, and dealing with customers who haggle down to the last peso. In this article, I'm going to tell you the story of three of those stores that still resist. It's not a typical tourist guide. It's a chronicle of a dying trade.
What to Do: A Tour Through Aranjuez's Industrial Memory
If you are a documentary photographer, oral historian, or simply a nostalgic fan of industrial culture, Aranjuez offers you an experience you won't find anywhere else in Medellín. There are no museums or galleries. The museum is in the worn-out facades, in the hand-painted signs that announce "Repuestos para motores diésel" (Parts for diesel engines), and in the yellowing catalogs that the owners keep like treasures.
The Three Stores That Still Resist
- Repuestos Don Carlos (Calle 87 # 50-12): The most iconic. Don Carlos is 72 years old and has been selling auto parts for 45 years. His specialty is carburetors for cars from the 70s and 80s. When you walk in, the smell of metal and old paper envelops you. The walls are covered with wooden shelves holding pieces labeled by hand. Don Carlos greets you with a "What can I do for you, son?" that sounds like another era. Note: this store closes permanently in June 2026. If you want to see it, hurry.
- Almacén El Motorista (Carrera 49 # 88-32): Owned by Doña Marta, 68 years old. She inherited the business from her husband, who passed away ten years ago. Here you can find everything from spark plugs to transmission cases for trucks. Doña Marta is known for her memory: she remembers the exact part she sold to a customer fifteen years ago. Her store is smaller, but it has an archive of original catalogs from the 1960s that are worth seeing.
- Repuestos La 87 (Calle 87 # 49-10): The youngest of the three. It is run by Don Pedro, 58 years old. He is a specialist in brakes and suspension systems. Don Pedro is the only one who tried to modernize: he has an Instagram profile with photos of the parts, but admits that "it doesn't help much, because the old customers prefer to come and see and touch."
Black and White Photo Gallery: What You Must Capture
If you bring a camera, these are the shots you can't miss:
- The storefronts with the original signs, many of them painted in the 1970s. The paint is peeling, but the letters are still legible.
- The tools hanging on the walls: cross wrenches, hydraulic jacks, calipers. Each one has a story that the owner will tell you if you ask.
- The parts catalogs: notebooks with yellowed pages and pencil technical drawings. Don Carlos has one from 1975 that shows a Chevrolet six-cylinder engine, piece by piece.
- The owners' hands: full of calluses, stained with grease, holding a part as if it were a jewel.
Where to Eat or Drink: Stops to Recharge Between Stores
After walking for a couple of hours looking at auto parts, hunger strikes. Aranjuez is not a trendy gastronomic area, but it has authentic options that locals know.
Traditional Food
- La Caseta de Aranjuez (Carrera 50 # 87-10): A food stall that has been around for over thirty years. The owner, Don Jairo, prepares bandeja paisa every day. The dish costs $22,000 COP (reference prices from May 2026) and comes with beans, rice, ground beef, chicharrón, egg, avocado, and arepa. It's not gourmet, but it's honest and abundant.
- Panadería El Buen Gusto (Calle 86 # 49-30): Ideal for a coffee with pandebono. Mrs. Gloria has been serving since 6 in the morning. The coffee is strong black coffee and the pandebono comes hot out of the oven. A coffee plus a pandebono: $4,500 COP.
Drinks for the Heat
- Jugos El Parque (Carrera 49 with Calle 87): A natural juice stand in front of the Aranjuez park. The lulo juice is the most popular. A large glass costs $5,000 COP. The owner, Don Álvaro, adds shaved ice and a touch of condensed milk if you ask him.
How to Get There and Transportation: Getting Around Aranjuez
Aranjuez is in the northeastern area of Medellín. Getting there is easy from any point in the city.
By Metro
- Take Line A (blue) to the Hospital or Prado station.
- From there, walk 10-15 minutes north along Carrera 50. The stores are concentrated between Calles 85 and 89.
By Bus
- The buses on the Aranjuez - Centro route pass every 10 minutes. Get on downtown (Parque Berrío) and ask to be let off at Carrera 50 with Calle 87. The fare is $3,000 COP.
By Taxi or Ride-Hailing App
- From El Poblado, an Uber costs around $15,000 COP (reference price). Ask to be dropped off exactly at Calle 87 with Carrera 50.
Tips for Walking
- The streets are steep. Wear comfortable shoes.
- The neighborhood is safe during the day, but I don't recommend walking alone after 7 pm.
- If you get lost, ask any local for "los almacenes de repuestos de la 87" (the auto parts stores on 87th Street). Everyone knows where they are.
Local Tips: How to Live the Experience Like a True Aranjueceño
This is not a tourist tour. If you really want to understand what is happening in Aranjuez, follow these tips:
- Arrive early. The stores open between 7 and 8 am. By 10 am there is already movement, but the best time to talk to the owners is first thing in the morning, when there are no customers yet and they have time to chat.
- Don't come in a hurry. Don Carlos, Doña Marta, and Don Pedro will tell you stories if you give them time. Ask them how they learned the trade, what the strangest part they ever sold was, what they think about the future of the neighborhood. They speak with pride and nostalgia.
- Bring cash. Some stores don't have a card machine. Prices are in Colombian pesos and they don't accept dollars.
- Respect the space. These are not tourist spots. They are workplaces. If you want to take photos, ask for permission first. Most will say yes, but they appreciate you asking.
- Buy something. Even if it's just a spark plug or an oil filter. The owners need the income, and taking a part as a souvenir is more authentic than a refrigerator magnet.
Fun fact: Don Carlos has an original carburetor from a 1962 Ford Falcon in his store. He bought it in the 80s and never sold it because "it's a museum piece." If he likes you, he'll show it to you. But don't offer to buy it. He gets offended.
Reflection: What is Lost When the Engine Stops
When an auto parts store closes, it's not just a business that disappears. A technical knowledge that isn't in the manuals disappears. Don Carlos can tell, just by looking at a part, if it's original or a Chinese imitation. Doña Marta can tell you what truck model used a certain transmission case in 1978. Don Pedro can explain how to adjust a car's brakes without needing an electronic scanner. That's not learned on YouTube. It's learned with your hands, with time, with the patience of a trade that is inherited.
Trust is also lost. In these stores, the customer is not a #. They are "son," "ma'am," "sir." The owner knows you, knows what car you have, what part you need, and even calls you if a part you ordered months ago arrives. A digital platform can't replace that.
The gentrification of Aranjuez is not just an urban planning problem. It's a memory problem. When new buildings replace the old stores, Medellín will lose a piece of its industrial history. And the worst part: most people won't even notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the Aranjuez auto parts stores open to the general public or only to mechanics?
They are open to anyone. You don't need to be a mechanic to enter. However, if you don't know much about auto parts, the owners will ask you what you need and guide you. It's a place where you can learn by asking.
Is it safe to visit Aranjuez as a tourist?
Yes, it is safe during the day. The neighborhood is residential and there is a lot of foot traffic. After 7 pm, the streets empty out and I don't recommend walking alone. But if you go between 8 am and 5 pm, there's no problem.
Is it worth going if I don't know anything about mechanics?
It depends on what you're looking for. If you're interested in industrial culture, oral history, or documentary photography, then yes, it's worth it. You don't need to know about engines to appreciate these people's craft. But if you just want to buy a part quickly, it's better to look online.
When does Repuestos Don Carlos definitively close?
According to Don Carlos, the definitive closure is scheduled for June 2026. There is no exact date, but he himself says that "when the inventory runs out, the business is over." If you want to visit it, don't wait too long.
Historical or Contextual Introduction
Carrera 50 with Calle 87 in Medellín is more than a street intersection; it is a reflection of the city's change and the evolution of a trade that has accompanied the automotive industry for decades. The auto parts stores, which were once the core of local economic activity, today face a crisis of identity and relevance in an increasingly digitalized world, where online sales have become the norm.
The history of these stores dates back to the 1950s and 1960s, when the automotive industry in Colombia was beginning to take off. Entire families depended on these businesses for their livelihood, and the community united around them, creating an atmosphere of trust and closeness. However, with the rise of e-commerce and the arrival of large chains, many of these small businesses have been forced to close.
Today, the silence felt in the area is an echo of what was once a bustling commercial activity. Those who still resist do so with a deep sense of community and a knowledge of the trade that few can match. It is essential to recognize their value not only as suppliers of auto parts, but as guardians of a tradition that is in danger of extinction.