Shopping
Shopping In Mexico
Services
Shopping In Mexico
San Pancho is a small village of 2,200, so there are no big stores or heavy commercial
traffic in town. Puerto Vallarta, 50 km (30 mi) to the south, has most of the stores
and services you would expect to find in any large US or Canadian city.
Like many aspects of the slower-paced life in San Pancho, shopping here is a bit
like life on the farm in the 1950s. You take a trip into the big city every week
or two to shop at the big stores (and take in your favorite big city entertainment).
However, this description does not do justice to what is available in San Pancho. Here is a partial list of what is available:
- Several jewelry stores featuring exquisite local creations
- Delightful native crafts and antiques
- Artisan furniture stores
- Several pharmacies
- More than 30 great restaurants covering all three meals
- A variety of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Fresh milk, eggs, fish, meat, and bread
- Baked goods
- Liquor stores
The following items are also available in San Pancho; however, the selection is
limited by US and Canadian standards. For a wide selection, Puerto Vallarta offers
many more options.
- Packaged and gourmet groceries
- Household and personal care goods
- Clothing and beachwear
- Books and magazines
- Sporting goods
- Hardware supplies
Articles that involve high-level craftsmanship and artistry are more available and
less expensive in Mexico, compared to the US and Canada. This includes items such
as jewelry, furniture, art and textiles. Manufactured items tend to be expensive
throughout Mexico and are not usually the latest models or best quality. This is
particularly true of office equipment and supplies, which are available only in
Puerto Vallarta. Plastic wrap, three-way light bulbs and (take note!) dental floss
are hard to find in Mexico. Many electrical outlets are two-prong, so bring a two-prong
to three-prong adapter if you have devices with three prongs.
Fortunately, Walmart and Sam’s Club have stores in Puerto Vallarta that are largely
covering the shopping expectations gap of US and Canadian consumers. Visit the Transportation page for more details
or the Maps & Directions page
for directions. If you are a Sam’s Club member and plan to shop there, remember
to bring your card.
Grocery And Household Shopping
There are also a number of large Mexican super stores in Puerto Vallarta with delis,
bakeries, local specialties, and a wide selection of reasonably priced packaged
groceries, produce, beverages, clothing, and household goods.
At first glance, the grocery stores in San Pancho look more like convenience stores.
While the selection is limited, closer inspection can reveal unexpected treasures.
It takes a little practice to adjust to the different scale and packaging and really
see what is there. The stores are not the same; each one varies in emphasis and
selection, reflecting the tastes of the proprietor and her (or his) steady customers.
On rare occasions, water and electricity are down, so it is a good idea to stock
up on drinking water and back up batteries.
The grocery stores are not the best places to buy fresh produce. The easiest way
to get the widest and freshest selection is to stay home! Village life in Mexico
is organized differently around shopping. Unlike in the US and Canada, where we
all get in our cars and separately navigate our way to various shopping emporiums,
here the merchants load pick-up trucks with merchandise and travel through the
streets, bringing their wares to the customers.
Here are some of the items you can purchase this way, daily:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- The fish and shrimp catch of the day, and fresh meat, iced down in coolers
- Household goods, such as mops and cleaning supplies
- Folk medicines
- Propane
- You can sell scrap metal to purchasers
The trucks typically come at about the same time in the morning and announce their
arrival via music and loud speakers. If you happen to miss the pass by your house,
you can always catch up with your vendor on another street (it is a small town).
There are several butcher shops (carnicerías) in San Pancho. Nayarit is
renowned in Mexico for its cattle ranches and high quality beef. There are also
several fresh broiled chicken establishments, for example, Pollo Rostizado at the
corner of America Latina and Egipto.
An ATM and a nice selection of frozen fruit are available at Mary ATM, on the north
side of Tercer Mundo, east of Ceilan.
La Chalupa (The Little Canoe)
(311) 258-4150
The family that owns this Mexican restaurant also owns the local fishing fleet.
You can purchase fresh caught seafood here, each day, around noon. Mahi mahi and
shrimp are typically part of the catch. La Chalupa is located on the east side of
México, just south of Tercer Mundo.
You can also call Pando at (311) 258-4076.
Another option for fresh produce is the produce stands. Each one has the same
basic items with some individual and seasonal variety in the selection. You are
likely to find a number of interesting and tasty items that you have not seen before.
For example, try mamey, a fruit shaped like an avocado, with a hard fuzzy brown
shell and a bright orange creamy filling that is eaten raw and tastes very much
like a cooked yam. Fruit stands will also slice up fresh produce, spice it with
chilies and fresh lime juice, and put it in a plastic bag for immediate consumption.
Try fresh avocado, cucumber, jicama or papaya served this way. Yuuummmmm.
On the south side of Tercer Mundo, near the soccer field, is a small stand where
you can buy sugar cane. An elderly woman grills, while her husband cleans sugar
cane with a machete. The cane is pleasantly chewy, very tasty, and quite refreshing,
especially on a hot day.
Street-side hot food vendors are also a good source of sustenance. While you should
always exercise good judgment when buying street food, we are unaware of anyone
having had a bad experience with food in San Pancho. Vendors are educated and diligent
about sanitation.
The tortilla factory is great for fresh-baked corn tortillas and is also a fun field
trip for kids of all ages.
The intersection of Tercer Mundo and Asia (just west of the city park) is host to
a rotating collection of vendors. A music and movie stand is often open for business.
Kitchen goods, underwear, and shoe vendors typically set up shop once a week.
Cosmetics and household goods are found in the numerous parfumerias.
There are a number of different hardware stores (ferreterías) in town.
A paint store (repinturas) shares the northwest corner of Tercer Mundo
and Saigon with a baby (bebe) store.
Construcciones y Muebles Schennan
(322) 258-4262
This furniture factory is located well off the road on the north side of Tercer
Mundo, just west of MEX 200 and east of the river.
Pharmacies
San Pancho has several pharmacies (farmacias), some of which carry beauty
products.
Many drugs that are available only by prescription in the US are available over
the counter in Mexico. In some cases, the variety of combinations and doses is more
limited than in the US. In general, prices are significantly less expensive.
Fema Farmacia
(322) 258-4011
This 24-hour pharmacy is located near the hospital, at the intersection of Egipto
and Africa.
CMQ Farmacia
(322) 258-4390
Located on the north side of Tercer Mundo (main street), east of Ceilan.
Gift Shops And Clothing
Half a dozen gift shops, boutiques and clothing stores are located on Tercer Mundo.
See the Daily Life Slide Show for pictures
of these stores.
EntreAmigos
(311) 258-4377
EntreAmigos (among friends) is a volunteer organization whose mission is to offer
education and enrichment opportunities for the children of San Pancho. Be sure and
visit the gift shop, generously stocked by local artists. A percentage of all sales
are donated to EntreAmigos programs. On a typical afternoon, a beautiful collection
of multi-cultural children will be out front busily working on various arts and
crafts projects. Ask to visit the bilingual lending library upstairs. EntreAmigos
is located on the south side of Tercer Mundo, next to the Tres Marias Clothing Store,
near the beach.
Interior Design And Art
Plaza Neptuno
Plaza Neptuno hosts a wide collection of interior design, fine art, folk and primitive
art, and clothing stores. Located in Puerto Vallarta, on the west side of MEX 200,
0.8 km (0.5 mi) south of the airport at Paseo de la Marina.
Casa Pericos
Rodo Padilla
Plaza las Juntas
Plaza las Juntas is home to a number of great interior design stores and art galleries.
Located north of Puerto Vallarta, on the west side of MEX 200, 3.5 km (2.2 mi) north
of the airport, just north of the Las Juntas Universidad exit as the meridian narrows.
Artrel
(322) 140-2477
Be sure and stop in to Artrel and say hello to interior designer Cristina de la
Rosa. Artrel is short for arte religioso, which reflects the origins of this third-generation
family business founded 40 years ago to create religious icons. Artrel produces
incredibly well made and beautiful furnishings. See the Shopping Slide Show for
pictures.
Art by Design
(322) 290-3197 (cell)
Art by Design has a wide selection of interior design artifacts and wonderful paintings.
See the Shopping Slide Show for pictures.
Click here for a
guide to galleries in Puerto Vallarta.
Click here for a
guide to shopping in Puerto Vallarta.
Jewelry
A number of fine jewelers reside and have galleries in San Pancho.
Veronica y Fabio Vanin
(311) 258-4298
Veronica and Fabio are a delightful couple, from Chile and Milan respectively. They
are both expert jewelers, blending European and Latin American influences. Stop
by and watch them at work creating fine art. Located in San Pancho on Tercer Mundo
(main street), across from the soccer field.
Tatehuari
(311) 258-4490
Click above to view the stunningly gorgeous work of Susanna and Luis. Located in
San Pancho on Tercer Mundo.
Montserrat Pascual
(311) 258-4148
Click above for a tour of Montserrat’s distinctive creations. Located in San Pancho
on China, just south of Asia and Café del Mar.
Marco Huizar Jewelry
(311) 258-4138
At the northeast corner of Tercer Mundo and America Latina.
Folk Art
Anthony Chetwynd Collection
(311) 258-4407
This marvelous store has a vast collection of cool folk art and statuary. At the
north end of Costa Azul, on the east side of Las Palmas (main street). See the Daily Life Slide Show for pictures.
Galleria Silvia
(311) 258-4241
Silvia offers a wide selection of folk art, as well as massage therapy.
Galleria Corazon
Art and ceramics, located at the northwest corner of Tercer Mundo and America
Latina.
Galleria de Nayar
Art gallery at the northwest corner of Tercer Mundo and Cuba.
El Folklore Artesanias
(311) 258-4445
This folk art store is located on the south side of Tercer Mundo, west of Asia.
Huichol Native Americans sell traditional arts and crafts at the beach. Other art
vendors also set up shop along the boardwalk (malecon).
SERVICES
There are numerous internet cafés (most also have copy and fax services) in San
Pancho, as well as a number of DVD rental stores.
Household help is easy to find, efficient, and inexpensive. Appliance service people
typically make house calls.
The nearest filling station to San Pancho is in Lo de Marcos, 10 km (6 mi) to the
north, or in Bucerías, 23 km (14 mi) to the south. In a pinch, you can purchase
gas at the repair shop on the north side of Tercer Mundo, immediately east of the
river, just west of MEX 200. There are a variety of auto service and repair shops
in San Pancho.
Laundromats
Several laundromats (lavanderías) are full-service establishments that
charge very reasonable rates by the kilogram. Stop by in the morning and you can
usually pick up your stuff in the afternoon. Washing delicates or other special-care clothing is not recommended unless you are able to provide explicit instructions.
Beauty Shops And Hair Salons
It is easy to find a full-service beauty shop and hair salon (estética)
in San Pancho. A man, a good haircut will set you back about USD $5.