Super Pola ??

tequila

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Oct 24, 2008
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Dr 1 news indicates the Super Pola is open......can anybody confirm this. Please post some pictures, and indicate prices, stock, and staff. I know there is a Cinema and Pizza Hut, but was else is confirmed to be opening?
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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It is open today. I did not go in, just passed by. But open for sure.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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The supermarket had its opening ceremony last night and opened to the public at 8am today. I haven't been yet.

Several shops were already open when we had a look after the cinema a couple of weekends ago - as well as Pizza Hut I saw a sports shop, several boutiques, accessory shops, tapas place, Baskin Robbins, churros, that sort of thing. There will also be a branch of BHD bank.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Correction - Instead of Baskin Robbins it should be Haagen Dazs.

The good news is that there will also be a Bon-Yogen Fruz, a much better option. :)
 

agw

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Feb 14, 2010
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The good news is that there will also be a Bon-Yogen Fruz, a much better option.

Oh YUM! I think they are the best too! This location will be much handier for us at our rental for March than the other locations were last year! Downside is, maybe it will be too accessable! LOL

I also am anxious to hear any comments about Super Pola!
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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I also am anxious to hear any comments about Super Pola!
Well, I had a quick foray earlier this evening.

It was P A C K E D and the customer demographic was markedly different from the Supermercado Nacional - a much wider social spectrum of Dominicans as well as a lot of expat customers. The Nacional clientele tends to be middle/upper class Dominicans (Punta Cana/Cap Cana types) and expats.

According to some people I spoke to who have already shopped there, the prices are generally lower in Pola and there are some good special offers, which hasn't been the case in Nacional. The Pola supermarket looks a bit larger and better stocked than Nacional; it may have been because of the crowds but the aisles looked narrower.

My friend's impression was that Pola's product range is aimed at a slightly lower-end clientele. They definitely have the edge on Nacional with their more strategic location and the San Juan Centre does look like it could be a success.

I'll still be using Nacional more often because of where I live, but it's clear that it will lose the Bavaro customers to Pola.

It's good to have them in the area and I wish them both well.
 

InsanelyOne

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Oct 21, 2008
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I went on Thursday... didn't even realize they were open yet, was just passing by. Stopped in for a quick look-see and was pleasantly surprised. I would agree with Chirimoya that it seems a bit larger and generally better stocked. The beef didn't look as good but since this was the first day I wasn't expecting much. Overall I was impressed and will probably do most of my shopping there as it's closer for me than the Nacional.

Thought it was interesting that in addition to the cashiers, the grocery baggers were all women. Is this the norm for Pola?
 

agw

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Feb 14, 2010
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Thanks Chirimoya! And InsanelyOne.

I know you will find us at both on March 6 stocking up on basics for our stay! Just one thing; which would you say has better produce?
 

InsanelyOne

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Oct 21, 2008
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I think I would have to give the edge to Pola when it comes to produce. I didn't get that good a look but they certainly seemed to have a greater selection.
 

Whippet

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Jan 26, 2011
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went to Pola few days ago and was impresssed
cost of products cheaper than Nacional
apparently
Wednesdays: half price Vegtables adn fruits
friday cheap meat
and Monday cheap seafood
Found the product range smaller than nacional though
Will be doing most my shopping here but still get the occasional thing from the locally owned supermarkets.
how do other people feel about supporting the locally owned supermarkets over the big foriegn chains??
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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They may not be local to the B?varo-PC area but they're not foreign companies either - both Pola and Nacional are 100% Dominican.

I do have mixed feelings - on the one hand some of the small local supermarkets have had a good few years in the region providing a second-rate service and charging ridiculous prices to local residents, more than economies of scale and transport costs could ever justify. But, there are a couple of noble exceptions and I would put Supermercado Manzanillo in Ver?n in that category. It is well run, service is pretty good, they are usually well stocked and their prices are reasonable. For these and other reasons, although there is no doubt they will lose a considerable chunk of custom to the big boys, they are likely to continue in business.

The ones that did close must always have known that it was just a matter of time before the big companies started opening branches in the east, and should have had their contingency plans...

In the case of Delicana, which closed in the same week as Nacional opened, some of their employees are now working for Nacional and I would guess the same goes for Caribe and La Marqueta with the opening of Pola - and there is no doubt that many more jobs have been created by the opening of the new big supermarkets than were lost by the closures of the small ones.
 

MikeFisher

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Feb 28, 2006
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haven't been at Pola , yet, but heard only positives from friends til now.
it souhnd's the cheaper deal than Nacional, in case of Quality, will find out very soon.

as for shopping behavior,
during all those years shopping at Iberia been a Must,
now we can get the same stuff for similar Rates just a few driving minutes away from Home, def a big Plus.

as for Meats, I will go on to buy them at My Butcher in Veron, fresher, better quality than any supermarket, and for great Rates.

the same for the Fruits to make our Juices, I will not abandon our beloved Frutera in Veron.

happy Shopping

Mike
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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Mike,

Where is the butcher shop you go to in Veron, and the name please.
 

MikeFisher

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the Name is "OMAR".
You drive to Veron and at the Maincrossing(Police Station and Shell Gas Station) You Turn Right into the Direction towards La Otra Banda.

you pass the Plaza "Genaro" and the "Corripio" Electrodomestic Center.
after Corripio(which is on Your Right Hand Side) a 70 Meters Further You see on Your LEFT Hand Side a 1 story Building with Glassfront aside a empty Paking space, on the Sidewall facing to You Big Letters say "OMAR", that's the Place.
they are open from early mornings til late.

I buy there Chicken, Beef, Carnes Molidas, Pork etc, never had a bad piece and their Rates are really great.

even that I Myself do not need to buy any Fish/Mariscos as I am fishing Myself,
I of course always watch Offers/Variety and specially Quality of Seafood at any Place where I find them,
I would recommend them very much for Fish etc, they are one of the Very Few locations where the Seafood been handled Properly, they leave nothing out in the Heat, fresh Fish Comes in, get's prepared as Fillets and frozen right away.

the other Day I saw there Chillo/Red Snapper for just around 175 pesos per Libra, talking FILLETS!!!!, not the whole Fish where You throw 1/3rd of the weight on the Trash.

even down here at My Place the Boats sell Chillo for 135 per libra, but the whole Fishes, not the pure Fillets.

check it out,
I bet you will like the Place.

btw,
they store Meats and Seafood in different Freezers/Separately, and they use different Preparations Tables for the 2 different Products,
so You Pork will not have a "Fishy Smell/Taste" and the Beef will not come "Fishy".

Mike
 

MikeFisher

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Feb 28, 2006
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btw,
the Fruitstand which I mentioned and prefer over others, is nearby of Omar, so we always make it one ride to shop at both the same day.
you just follow the mainroad further up til you reach the 2 Speedbumps shortly before the Carwash "La Recta",
that Fruitstand has always a very large Variety, always top Quality, and their Rates are IMHO very well worth to shop there over the Mass presentations at the Supermarkets.
if You shop there frequently you will soon start to receive "Extra Gifts" from the Owner and His wife, like Free Bananas, a Extra Pi?a, some Free Aples etc.
it is a Family Run Business and they live right there.

Mike
 

agw

Member
Feb 14, 2010
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?Gracias Mike!

We missed finding both those shops last year so I will make a point of going there one of the first days after we arrive to check them out. I will always purchase from the quality small business over a large chain whenever possible.

Andrea
 

InsanelyOne

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Oct 21, 2008
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Mike,

I'll have to give the butcher shop another try. I went in there once and turned right around. I'm too accustomed to the top rate butcher shops I frequented back home... the ones here freak me out. I couldn't even recognize much of the meats.
 

MikeFisher

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Feb 28, 2006
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at Omar they have nearly No Meat laying out as it would be usual in Supermarkets.
you tell them what you want to see and they go into the closed Cooling Room to get it for you.
out in the sales room they usually have just 2 boxes of meat, one with pork and one with beef, the fillets of local Meat prepared with spices etc, done fresh that day.
all the rest You don't see til you ask for it.
take for example "Carne Molida".
you let them know which kind you want and how much, they go into the cooling quarter to get it and run it through the machine in front of your eyes.

at large Supermarkets You never see how meat is handled, you don't even know where it comes from, you don't know how long it was laying out there on the Show Shelf that day and the prior days.
I prefer to know the Guy who prepare's the meat, it is the same Guy who Kills da Pork btw, it looks 'bloody', yes, but you see how it's handled and how it is stored.
Supermarkets look on their Show Shelfs so Clean and Fine,
but that's No Indicator on How it been handled before it been wrapped in the little pack to be presented 'nice' for they Eyes of the Customer.

Andrea,
look for OMAR in the Direction I described above, coming from the Veron Maincrossing driving towards La Otra Banda, You can not miss the big Building of "Corripio" on the right hand side, large Red Signs out there with their Name "Corripio" on it, you pass that slowly because shortly afterwards on the other side of the street, Your Left Hand Side, You see the Building with the Name OMAR on it painted, with a Glass Front towards the Mainstreet.
if You come from the Opposite Direction, from La Otra Banda towards the MainCrossing, then it is easy to miss the Place because you would not see the Building before You are right in front, so driving on that crazy traffic street may let you miss it from that direction.

the Fruit Stand is very Easy,
on that Mainroad towards La Otra Banda are only 2 Speedumps, both at the little School, and right there is the Fruitstand on the Streetfront, You see it from far from Both Directions.

Mike
 

agw

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Feb 14, 2010
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Mike, thanks again! I know exactly the stretch of road you are referring to and so should be able to find it with no problems.

It was my boyfriends birthday a few days ago and I want to surprise him with some fishing in early March as a late gift. I'll contact you through your site for that. I look forward to meeting you then!

Andrea