This article analyzes the advertising discourses of A la Ciudad de Londres, the first department store in Argentina´s capital, Buenos Aires. The article traces the main characteristics of late 19th century Buenos Aires: a cosmopolitan society that grew and diversified, with an internal market in full swing, propelled mainly by imported goods from Europe. In this context we observe and analyze the phenomenon of the department stores, focusing specifically in the different types of advertisements, and the strategies employed to attract clients and create needs.