Plaza Rio turns 40 years since its inauguration, so the San Diego Red team has decided to make a compilation of how has been its journey since it opened in 1981, until this 2021. Here you will be able to see some things that are unforgettable and others that you didn't remember existed in the famous Tijuana plaza.
![Construction of Plaza Rio - Ernesto Acevedo](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279551/279551_832x634.jpg)
![Photography by Ivan Castro](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279568/279568_832x624.jpg)
Los Padres Store
In 2016, after 20 years in operation and being the only official store of a U.S. professional team in Mexico, the San Diego Padres Official Store closed. Those who knew this store, said that it was especially good to buy tickets, since the merchandise was quite expensive. Did you get to buy tickets or items in this store?
![Marco A. HC](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279552/279552_832x557.jpg)
Pizza Hut
That's right, there used to be a Pizza Hut in Plaza Rio, the famous fast food restaurant chain was located just a few locations away from where a Little Cesar's used to be and is now a Torta Plaza. This branch can now be found on Agua Caliente Blvd. in front of the Grand Hotel de Tijuana and in Plaza Alameda.
![Photo by Arturo San Vicente Sr.](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279553/279553_832x624.jpg)
La Comercial Mexicana
"La comer" was a constant for a long time in Plaza Rio, we saw its façade change, however, it closed and is now replaced by a Soriana Hiper, which to be fair, contains practically the same products and even hosts the Julio Regalado event.
![Photography by Amealma Adb](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279554/279554_832x550.jpg)
MAS
Can you imagine a three-story DAX? That was MAS, the store was a combination of DAX and what we know today as Sear's. They sold clothes, accessories and of course, lots of makeup.
![](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279555/279555_832x561.jpg)
Dorian's and its Christmas lights
How can you forget Dorian's? Only if you were born after 2009, which was when the store disappeared. In fact, there were a total of 12 branches of this department store and all of them were taken over by Grupo Carso, who turned these Tijuana stores into Sear's Mexico.
![Photograph by Juan Manuel Ramírez Hernandez](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279556/279556_832x624.jpg)
An event that visitors to the plaza used to love was to see the lights that Dorian's displayed during the Christmas season.
![Photograph by Ernesto Acevedo](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279557/279557_832x826.jpg)
El Aguila
Currently closed, it was one of the first stores to open in Plaza Rio and although we all remember it for the moment, in a very short time it will end up being a memory like MAS or Dorian's stores. The plaza announced the closing of the oldest store in the area.
![Juan Manuel Ramirez Hernandez](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279558/279558_832x624.jpg)
![Photo by: Maritza R. García Facebook](https://cl2.buscafs.com/www.sandiegored.com/public/uploads/images/279559/279559_832x1109.jpg)
Among other things, where McDonald's is now, there used to be the Túnel, a ride for daring children and teenagers, Tijuana natives remember that it only cost $5 pesos for that fun time and they all came out beaten because they couldn't see anything inside.
There was also a carousel in front of Dorian's, however, it was not very popular so they ended up closing it.
VIDEO: Curiosities of CaliBaja: 7 Places in Tijuana where you used to eat that no longer exist
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