The Bustamante Pharmacy, formerly Mamely Pharmacy, was opened in 1747 and is one of the oldest in the city. When it was owned and run by Antonio Mamely, it was also something of a local club. Pablo Picasso's father, José Ruiz Blasco, would often meet with his friends there. He happened to be in the back room of this pharmacy when an earthquake struck the city on Christmas Day 1884. Luckily, the place was close to their home. José Ruiz  ran across the square to collect his family and head to a safer place.

The devastating earthquake destroyed large parts of the city of Malaga, killing almost eight hundred people and destroying four thousand homes. The Picasso family fled the city and temporarily took refuge at the house of his father’s employer. Pablo’s sister Lola was born just three days after the earthquake. The dramatic events of those days forever casted a memory in Pablo's mind.