Advice on buying furniture in the North coast

check la sirena (malecon) and dictributorio gonzalez (plaza central) in puerto plata, they have all you need. prices may be highier than santiago but it's less headache. also, closer for them to deliver.
for furniture there is new hidalisa (manolo tavarez justo).
all easy to find.

If you are going to Santiago also check the prices at Price Mart (similar to a Costco or BJs in the states) as thier prices on washer dryer (limited number of models), patio furniture, BBQ (for sure) will be cheaper then Ochoa or La Serina.

BObK

It's Picola Luna, Mimbre & Rattan in Navarrete. Used them for many years in a couple of houses. Italian couple in business for years. Finest rattan and cane production I've seen since SE Asia.

If you want good wood furniture at some half way reasonable prices you'll have to "do" Santiago.
If you want the fancy stuff, Conforama in Santo Domingo seems to be one of the few stores to have without killing you (well, they'll kill you... but slowly ).

Appliances... we checked around POP for a cooking range last year... the best price was at La Sirena (plus you get kick back points!). I am not a big fan of La Sirena and I'd love to give my business to locals (and I do) but I refuse to pay more and get less for that "privilege".
Washer, dryers, fridges and stoves... check PriceSmart in Santiago or Santo Domingo and then 8-A (Ochoa) and Hache in Santiago, Ferreteria Americana in Santo Domingo.
If you go to Santo Domingo, a trip to Ikea is always enlightening, especially for the fact that they DO have REAL discounts on en of stock items and such and DO have all the little bitty kitchen utensils in a USABLE quality the others don't or at least not at a price worth while considering.

... J-D.

Don't you need a membership at PriceSmart? If so, how do you go about getting one and then subsequently, renewing it?

Here are some answers:
Yes you do need a memberhip and you get it right there it costs about $33 US and you renew every year.

Windeguy the place we got the rattan furniture was called Cabrera Finos Muebles and the person to talk to is Victor. It is about a mile or so towards Santiago after the Navarette circle on the Right. We brought them photos and they made perfect replicas of them. Cost has gotten higher over the years but still a bargin. For one shipment (yes they will deliver for free if you bargin hard enough) a triple dresser, up right dresser, couch, Chair, coffee table, two end tables, two night stands, a lamp,small desk with chair and a doggie bed all for under $2500. All the tables and night stands also had glass inlayed tops. It is probably 20% or more expensive now as this was 3years ago. Oh and the stickershock on the TVs is why we had one shipped in recently.

Hope this helps.

BObK

Plaza Llama for a washing machine in Santiago, probably one also in Puerto Plata.
Good store, good service, you can haggle over the price.

no plaza llama in POP.

another option

I was told to check out Gaspar Hernandez for big items like washing machines and furniture. I haven't checked it out yet but was told by a local that the prices there were much better.

We bought a chest of drawers from a store, hopeless, it wobbles, the drawers stick and we found that the varnish is only on the parts you see through a cursory examination. Now we only buy from a local ebanista or two. We provide a dimensionalised diagram or photo and he makes it for us. Not the cheapest way to go but his Welsh Dresser at RD$20,000 was great.

I am looking to buy a wardrobe, a shelf, a computer desk, two office chairs and a washing machine.

Where would be the best place to buy the above mentioned things?

In case there is anybody who wants to sell some of these furniture / appliance, please feel free to PM me.

Patioworx is a patio/outdoor furniture store just east of Sosua (.5 km) on the highway to Cabarete. They offer a selection of powder coated aluminum, synthetic wicker, resin and wood furniture and some BBQs, umbrellas etc. Good quality. 571-4547

DH1 said:

Patioworx is a patio/outdoor furniture store just east of Sosua (.5 km) on the highway to Cabarete. They offer a selection of powder coated aluminum, synthetic wicker, resin and wood furniture and some BBQs, umbrellas etc. Good quality. 571-4547

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So do you own the place? Seems your two posts on these forums are the same and are an advert for the store. You should list in the classifed section here.
In any regard the place has nice stuff but VERY $$$$$$$, Some of the stuff can be gotten for a much better price in Santiago.

Bob K

Mimbre y Rattan Navarrete is maybe the best manufacturer, along with Artesania Rattan in Santiago (on Rafael Vidal).

Mimbre y Rattan Navarrete is located on the left side as you go towards Mao and Montecristi on the Duarte Highway through town. Just after you pass the entrance to Productos Linda (also on the left), there is a tiny strip mall and a small road going to the left. Take that turn. The factory is on the end on that road, maybe 250 mts in.
Ask for Tito. The street is Emilio Prud'Homme #6 and the phone is 809 585 5613.

Also, for patio furniture, I am recommending that fiberglass/rattan-like rocking chair. They are sold at a lot of places, but my son swears by Distribuidora Hawaii. It is located right by the "Leche Rica" stoplight on the Duarte Highway on the way to Santo Domingo. This is, let me see, the 5th stoplight on the "highway", where they sell all kinds of fruits. The Distribuidora is on the right side, and is painted orange, you can't miss it.

The reason I like these fiber-glass.rattan-like rockers for patios and such, is that they can be washed with a hose and a soapy brush...FWITW

Let's see, oh yeah, Artesan?a Rattan on Rafael Vidal...if you take the highway to Moca it is a traffic light past the Esso station on the way out of town (Santiago). You can only go to the right and the factory is on the left. This is the country's first rattan factory, being started by Mr. Miguel Sang in the very early 60s... or before. He made our first living room set in 1967 or 68, and it is still in great shape.

Both Artesan?a and Mimbre y Rattan Navarrete will make anything you can show them..

One more thing. Raising 4 kids, and their kids, our rattan has taken a beating. Dogs also chew on things, get the picture? Both places provide outstanding service on their furniture!!

So there you have it.

HB