As a transport center, colonial Mendoza, Argentina hosted a large transient population, which raised the demand for goods and services in the region for men in the cattle and wine industries. Largely male travelers particularly gauchos sought places to rest, eat, gamble, and listen to music along the way, which gave rise to pulperías, or taverns that non-elite metizo women ran. The first pulpería opened in Mendoza in 1627 and was defined as a “food and beverage store.” The name was derived from the pulp of tropical fruits and the sweets that were produced from them that could traditionally be purchased at a pulpería. In addition one could purchase foods such as hams, dried fruits, bread, and cheese.
