- Thread starter Rep Dom
- Start date
Playero - S Pola vs "pequeno" mercado Charamico
Only real reason to go to one of the big ones is variety. No one ever mentions the third biggest supermarket Supermercado Sosua. I have ties to the owner's family but I honestly like Playero for their imported stuff.
For local stuff like fruits veggies and chicken no fly you are wasting money...go to the smaller bodegas
For local stuff like fruits veggies and chicken no fly you are wasting money...go to the smaller bodegas
Since I have to drive by Supermercado to get to Playero, there is no reason for me not to have stopped in to see what they have. Your comments have convinced me of the error of my ways. I'm still in NA mode, get everything at the same place at the same time.
Bottom line, prices in the barrio are going to be cheaper than the chain stores!
YOU'RE PRICES ARE TOO DAMN HIGH - Too Damn High - quickmeme
YOU'RE PRICES ARE TOO DAMN HIGH - Too Damn High - quickmeme
Just look at the prices of chicken in the barrios compared to the chain stores. I wonder if the chicken gets the same treatment at the chain. It maybe just looks nicer cause it's wrapped in plastic
That's just the thing about those supermarkets, some have a couple of items cheaper than the other and the rest are higher. Not a clear cut winner among the bunch when it comes to cheaper prices
this has been discussed before...
Fruit & Vegetables....
supermarket buys them for the regular chain of delivery.... farmer, wholesaler... etc
colmado buys them from the local guy who either grew them or purloined from a tree
(much lower acquisition cost)
Hence the colmado can/will sell cheaper..... almost every time.
Eggs -- same game, a big colmado may even have his own chickens
that's my take.........
cheaper nad fresher from the little guy
Fruit & Vegetables....
supermarket buys them for the regular chain of delivery.... farmer, wholesaler... etc
colmado buys them from the local guy who either grew them or purloined from a tree
(much lower acquisition cost)
Hence the colmado can/will sell cheaper..... almost every time.
Eggs -- same game, a big colmado may even have his own chickens
that's my take.........
cheaper nad fresher from the little guy
I have seen colmados get delivery from some kind of distributor so i don't buy into that whole idea of it being purloined. Their lower overhead has to be a factor also.
Purloined meaning they just take it from a tree.
I have boys who come by me and pick my coconuts for 5 cents each
I have bargained with them-
they now get free coconuts if they trim my palms while they're up there
their cost is now 0.....
and yes, low overhead too for the little guy
the fruit/veg i see locally are much fresher than any supermercado
Chicken? I never buy locally
I find it 'gamey'/.... too strong for my liking
I have boys who come by me and pick my coconuts for 5 cents each
I have bargained with them-
they now get free coconuts if they trim my palms while they're up there
their cost is now 0.....
and yes, low overhead too for the little guy
the fruit/veg i see locally are much fresher than any supermercado
Chicken? I never buy locally
I find it 'gamey'/.... too strong for my liking
Agreed, but I think in some cases it's probably a combo of both.
The big colmado near our house is a good example. He gets truck deliveries all the time. BUT there are several campesinos who sell him eggs from their chickens. Others bring him what they grow on their properties. When we're not there, our caretaker sells him fruits from our trees. Lots of onions, peppers, eggplants, etc., are commercially grown within a couple of miles, and sacks of those show up there too [not sure if the pickers sell them, or the owners].
Maybe Matilda will chime in here - she had a colmado in Juan Dolio for many years.
I agree, I always assumed that the Supermarkets were cheaper but I was way wrong. Caf? Santo Domingo is 160 at our Colmado in Sosua Bella Vista while at playero is in the 175 range. Eggs at 6 Pesos are much better at the Colmado and as mentioned the chicken and vegetables. The local goods are almost always cheaper at the Colmado.
But soft drinks and such are always cheaper at Playero, Anything imported as well.
I stopped a guy and his Burro with a 100 lb. bag of Yuca on the road on his way to sell to the colmado, he sold me the whole bag for 200 RD. That's how the Colmados sell so cheap.
But soft drinks and such are always cheaper at Playero, Anything imported as well.
I stopped a guy and his Burro with a 100 lb. bag of Yuca on the road on his way to sell to the colmado, he sold me the whole bag for 200 RD. That's how the Colmados sell so cheap.
Like others have mentioned, chicken at the local colmados is often cheaper than the supermarkets. HOWEVER, it is tougher, maybe from being more 'free range' than commercially grown, so you need to cook it longer and season it a bit differently. It's great for pollo guisado, not so much for BBQ.
When I catch a chicken sale at La Sirena, I stock up. Last spring I was distracted, and bought some frozen ones - but didn't realize I bought hens instead of chickens, OMG they were like rubber [but tasty when cooked long enough!]. Needed the pressure cooker for them, we all had a good laugh at my expense. The price was good and I bought *5*, live and learn, I'll never make that mistake again, haha.
When I catch a chicken sale at La Sirena, I stock up. Last spring I was distracted, and bought some frozen ones - but didn't realize I bought hens instead of chickens, OMG they were like rubber [but tasty when cooked long enough!]. Needed the pressure cooker for them, we all had a good laugh at my expense. The price was good and I bought *5*, live and learn, I'll never make that mistake again, haha.
We're near Colmado Hermania. Back next week, just ask for Hombre Blanco, I'm the only one.
When I owned the colmado we bought from the local almacen (warehouse), direct from the manufacturers (Presidente, Frito Lay, Helado Bon, Brugal), from butchers (chicken, pork, beef) from the local market (all fresh produce, tomatoes, fruit, onions etc) andthen from anyone who wanted to sell us produce. If you want to save money then buy at the local market or the local warehouse ( almacen). Both significantly cheaper than any supermarket and you don't have to buy in bulk. We would mark up as little as possible for the stuff the locals used; rice, oil, plantains, beans and more for what were considered luxury items like wine. Usually the beer and rum people tell you what to charge and the mark up isn't that much. International supermarkets usually seem very expensive to me, and to support the local area and the local people much better, healthier and cheaper to buy in the markets. Every town has a chicken killer (not sure what the pc word is) - so get your chicken there - fresh as can be and much cheaper.
Matilda
Matilda
Uhhhh, that is exactly where I buy from lol. My esposa says she has never seen a gringo there, except for 1 Canadaian guy with a Dominican wife. Is that you?
No, not Canadian. And I don't hang out there, just buy stuff. I'm too big and white to be mistaken for a Dominican. It took me years to get Hermania to stock Barcel? so buy some. Still can't get her to stock Diet Coke. Ask her for Ricardo, I'll be back next week.