Panama Malls and Panama Shopping

Posted By: PanaGal on 09.04.2007
Views: 9072, Published in sections: Life in Panama ::

To begin with it's important to establish you can live as frugally or as extravagantly as you would like in Panama. Everything will depend on you, what you willing to live with or without. Do you need Green Giant, Sara Lee, Heinz, Kellogg’s, etc? Do you need Armani, Gucci, Polo, etc? That all here and you are going to pay the same price or higher than you would in the US. Remember these are import items that do not pass through Panama as a matter of course; it’s a one way trip here to get these items into the country.

MultiPlaza

Let’s start at the high end of the spectrum at the enclosed mall near the business district, it is home to designer boutiques and very high prices. MultiPlaza is your mall http://www.mallmultiplazapacific.com/ for Hilfiger, Polo, Anne Klein, Mont Blanc, Levi’s, Panasonic, Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, Timberland, Hallmark, etc. (But let’s begin with the story of the deep fryer. In my search for a deep fryer and having a Wal-Mart, USA mentality I went to the most convenient mall in search of a fryer thinking I would have several models and several price to choose from. I found one model at the only kitchen gadget store in the mall with a beautiful price tag of $299.00. So, says me, it’s way too expensive lets look at one of the other malls.)

MultiCentro

The next step down the spectrum located near Bella Vista is MultiCentro another enclosed mall. MultiCentro www.multicentropanama.com.pa will have more stores that are unique to Panama. But you will also see some recognizable name brands stores such as Nine West, Levi’s, Tommy Hilfiger, Jaccobs. And some clothing lines like Bisou Bisou, etc that we are accustom to seeing as branded clothing for specific stores in the US. (In my quest for the deep fryer I took my search to MultiCentro, at their kitchen gadget store I found one model; a deep fryer of a different name brand with all the same features as the previous deep fryer for $189.00. As the dim light bulb in my mind began to flicker more brightly I wondered to myself if the low end mall’s price would be even cheaper.)

Albrook Mall

The low end mall is Albrook Mall and the last enclosed mall it is located beside the Albrook Regional Airport. Albrook Mall http://www.albrookmall.com/ sits together the Albrouok Bus Terminal (Gran Terminal). In actuality it was built as a companion to the bus terminal. Many people live out side of the city and use the bus system to ride into town and make a transfer to a second bus that will take them to the neighbor where they are employed. So, it was good business to build a mall beside the terminal. This mall is full of discount stores and great bargain shopping. It is not uncommon to see table tops stacked with blouses, shoe, or jeans for $1.99 or $.99. Recent completion of the mall's expansion virtually doubled it's size and it was already very large. Albrook is frequented by locals and tourist alike. (This is where my quest for the fryer ends, finding the same style, different name brand, only model in a department store at Albrook. I happily took my $69 deep fryer home. Moral of the story? One stop shopping is virtually non exsistant in Panama.)

Los Pueblos

Los Pueblos is similar to what we are accustomed to in the US when we shop at the outlet malls. Los Pueblos in located near the Tocumen International Airport. Built as a strip mall with outdoor parking, you could spend a couple of days here if it is your intent to explore every store. A lot of these stores will over ride the 5% sales tax when you present your passport. My favorite store here is called Saks. In Saks I have found everything from Abercrombie and Fitch jeans $8.99, Pollo shirts $12.00, St. John’s Bay jeans $3.99, Cherokee tops $2.99, to George blazers $2.99. Actually, I’ve seen too many private labels to even begin to try to list. Most all of the Panamanian stores located in other areas and malls have a shop in the Los Pueblos and usually the items are a little bit cheaper in Los Pueblos. During December many Central and South Americans book tour busses for holiday shopping. With the free zone in Colon, the country of Panama has some of the cheapest shopping anywhere in our hemisphere.

Central Avenue/Avenida Central

Avenida Central is a section of Panama in which the poorest of humanity shops. But, you will also see tourist shopping here as well. Avenida Central is a long street divided up into two distinct sections. The first section is a main thorough fare with Diablo Rojos roaring up and down the boulevard. Along curbside, the backs of metal kiosks take up position between the store and the boulevard. They offer everything and anything imaginable, old magazines, shoe repair, shopping totes, cell phone accessories, on and on. Men stand in the street waving their arms to entice you into parallel parking in their section of the block, they guard your car, help you navigate, and even stop oncoming traffic for the parking and exiting events all for a donation of a few coins. This section has fruit stands, an open air market, beggars, fabric stores, electronics, eateries, everything necessary for daily living and more.

The second half of Avenida Central is marked by a large intersection, that of Avenida B and Cinco de Mayo Plaza (artesian market). Here, Central quickly give way to a portion of the street that no longer gives entrance to automobile traffic. This section of Avenida Central (La Central) is a cobble stoned street, with benches, potted trees, and a million pigeons that peck out an existence between the cracks of the bricks, as well as a whole lot of foot traffic. There are many shops of various sizes and content. There are vendor’s selling everything from produce, cold homemade drinks out of igloo coolers, to handmade sandals with old tires for soles. You can buy a Pollera, Panamanian hat, Trembleques, everything you need to complete the traditional Panamanian dress. You can buy your groceries, your clothing, your electronics, etc here. There are two Saks stores on this part of the street, two!

Shopping takes all kinds of forms in Panama, there is a fish market by the bay with the fresh catch of the day; you pick it out, they’ll clean and wrap it. We have a city market with hanging sides of beef or pork and rows of naked plucked chicken; all waiting to be cut to order. And we have an open air supply market where the restaurants and stores buy their produce and so can you by paying twenty-five cents to enter. You can shop in the local super market whick still have bag boys who carry your groceries to your vehicle, or maybe you prefer having groceries delivered from Riba Smith or the Super 99.

It’s all up to you!