Addison Winfield Croes was born in Aruba in 1887. He had worked on the construction of the Panama Canal from a young age. He married Graciela Henriquez in 1914 and the couple had three children.

The eldest daughter, Daisey, married composer and pianist Padú Lampe. Businessman Addison Croes, ‘Boe’ to friends and family, built a beautiful building on the Steenweg in the early 1920s, in the merchant district between Wilhelminastraat and Nassaustraat (now Caya Betico Croes). Initially it was a residential house, but in the mid-1930s Botica Aruba was established there, one of the first pharmacies on the island.

Partner in Botica Aruba N.V. was Gustave Nouel.  When Aruba Bank N.V. was founded, he was the first administrator. Later, Hollandsche Bank Unie came to Aruba and he held the position of deputy director/proxy holder at this bank.

In 1935, Gustave Nouel opened Botica Aruba N.V. together with Addison Croes on the Steenweg in Oranjestad. In Aruba he held various commercial and social positions and was very active as one of the founders of Rotary International of Oranjestad.

The building Steenweg 17 – 19 was built around 1925 to a design by the famous Aruban architect Merdardo ‘Dada’ Picus. The front facade, with four double doors, is dominated by a wide balcony with so-called ‘crests’ with images in the middle of the roof balustrade, including a gargoyle. At the back on the top floor there was originally a covered gallery over the entire width. At the left front a covered balcony with graceful hanging wood carvings in the Caribbean ‘gingerbread’ style.

In 1985, the Botica got into financial difficulties and closed its doors in November of that year. Twelve employees lost their jobs. In 1991, the building was purchased by the owner of Palais Hindu and in 1993, ‘El Mercado’ was opened there.

When that store had been closed for years, the Monuments Fund purchased the building and it was returned to its original state from the 1920s, with the open space next to and behind the building restored.

KOAL Restaurant now occupies the ground floor.