We bought a set of sheets yesterday. In the States, that might not be worth noting, but here – for us – it constitutes a major milestone. Come to think of it, even small purchases like clothes pins and bleach can turn into a scavenger hunt with real challenges.
> Where to find it
> Reading labels that might be written only in Spanish
> Calculating price per unit, usually listed in grams not ounces and always in colones, not U.S. dollars
> Evaluating quality which can vary greatly from the States to Central America
> Identifying products we may have never seen before
> Getting large or heavy purchases home
The list seems endless and often overwhelming.
Luckily, we began this adventure anticipating – and even looking forward to – a serious learning curve. Still at the end of a long day shopping day, I find myself trying to decide which I need more: aspirin or a stiff drink.
In some respects, shopping in Costa Rica has a bit in common with shopping in a small town in rural Arizona, with a preponderance of specialty shops and few big box stores that we tend to frequent in Big City, USA. Still, while a small town here may have a similar concentration of commercial acres in the center of town, the area seems to be shared between a greater number of smaller stores – many carrying very similar products and with large voids in product offerings.
Take refrigerators and pillows for an example. Even in tiny Palmares, there are probably six different stores where you can purchase a new refrigerator and have it delivered before the close of business. They all carry the same brands and models, with price, service and credit terms often influencing the purchase decision.
At the same time, we’ve been searching for decent (not luxurious) bed pillows since we arrived. Perhaps the answer was as simple as Price Smart (the Price Club/Sam’s Club of Costa Rica) or some other big box stores that we have not discovered, but we assumed we would find them in one of the hundreds of independently owned housewares stores that populate every town we’ve visited. Nope. At least not yet. We found flimsy little pillows that will surely crush to nothing in no time at all – at a price we weren’t willing to pay. But after a month of searching, yesterday we settled on two somewhat dense throw pillows that we think will hold up until we return to the States in October. Trust me when I say that we will be stocking up on such things and sending them to Costa Rica in our shipping container.
Want chicken or bread? Head for the meat market or the panaderia. You’ll probably find at least three of each on one block in the center of town. You buy your sausage at the sausage store. Cheese, natilla (sour cream), or eggs? These you can often find at the meat market or supermarket (yes! There are supermarkets, usually small, always slightly more expensive), but you’ll pay less at the feria (weekly farmer’s market). Ditto with fresh produce.
Spices. You can buy little packets or jars at the supermarket, or you can buy them by the gram at the central market.
Books are bought at the libreria, which is more of an office supply store than a book store.
Cell phones and related items – there’s a store for it. Ditto for computers and accessories.
Looking for a new puppy or kitten? Visit the feedstore. While you're there you can buy some chickens or a love bird.
Toys? You’ve guessed it. Palmares has no fewer than ten little toy stores!
Hammer and nails are bought at the ferreteria, or hardware store. While you’re there, ask about clothespins. They may not have them, but if you’re as lucky as we were, the owner will dash down the street and bring you a package from another store, collect your money and, presumably, settle up with the other merchant later.
Prescriptions – head for the farmacia, no prescription necessary except for narcotics.
Aspirin - You’ll find that in the farmacia , but be aware that over-the-counter and prescription drugs are sold on foil sheets sealed in plastic bubbles (probably due to humidity) and are priced by the unit. Want just one? No problem, the pharmacy clerk will cut one bubble off for you. Want the equivalent of a whole bottle of aspirin? Plan on mortgaging the house! So while prescription drugs cost less here than in the States as a general rule, not so with over-the-counter meds. We’ve already added a super-large Kirkland brand bottle to the list of things our daughter will be muling over to us in August.
The farmacia will also offer beauty supplies like lotions and deodorant, as well, but you’ll find better prices at the perfumeria – or sometimes at a store that sells ladies accessories, such as hair brushes, barrettes, jewelry.
But while you’re at the farmacia, you can consult with the pharmacist and save yourself a trip to the doctor, by the way, and even get a flu shot or other routine injection.
And then there is ribbon? There are entire, albeit small, stores that offer every kind of ribbon you can imagine, along with a small smattering of gift wrap.
So there, in a snapshot ,is the world of consumer commerce in Costa Rica. It’s a country filled with small businesses with very specialized focus. As such, customer service plays a serious competitive role in a business’ success or failure. And how do two lone gringos forge a path through the mercantile jungle? With determination, tenacity, and a sheet of very expensive aspirin!
Pura Vida
P.S. In an ocean new "newness" don't be too surprised when you see a Payless Shoe Source in town - along with McDonalds, Burger King, Quiznos, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut... and all the other fast food places that weren't part of the motivation to move to Costa Rica.
