Price Smart, just like going to Costco

This is our first trip to Panama where we are staying more than 3 months. In Pedasi you can get pretty well everything you need, and most of what you want. But maybe this year it’s time to look a little further afield. So many people have told us about Price Smart, kind of equivalent to Canada’s Costco, that we had to go check it out. This year we both ended up getting sick, (at different times, of course), therefore in this first month our outings have been few and far between.

When we arrived at Price Smart it was such a treat to pull into a covered parking lot. It was 34C, not a breeze, and felt like being in an oven.

Once inside it only took minutes to fill out the form, get our pictures taken (always flattering) and be issued our Price Smart card. Out first Panamian ID of any sort! All the employees were wearing masks, very few customers.

My first impression is that it is like going to a big box store anywhere. Even the layout is similar to Costco. When we arrived it was lunch time on a Friday, my other big impression was that the place was not busy or crowded, not even close.

There was a big optical dept directly inside the store which we did not check out. Might have to do that if go back as it is time for new prescription sunglasses. Previously we paid less than half of what it would have cost at home.

And, of course, you have to walk through the electronics department to get anywhere. Not sure if you can see the price but that JVC 65″ smart tv is $479. US$….but still. All the TV’s were showing video’s of winter wonderland.

The rest of it was the same as any big box store. We did not buy any produce or meat as we can get that in our little town, although the strip loin looked good. And look at that! we found Canadian maple syrup.

What made it worthwhile for us, apart from the sheer pleasure of being on a road trip, was being able to get lots of nuts. Gluten free breakfasts can be a bit of a pain when it is hard to get nuts and seeds (or they are super pricy when you find them). The other biggie was beer. It is cheap here anywhere, but at Price Smart it was ridiculously priced. The brand that Daryl generally drinks (except for when he can get craft beer) costs about $10 a dozen. At Price Smart it was $13 for 24 beers! We had a happy camper.

The only way to finish a shopping trip is to visit the food court, so of course we did. The salad and ice cream were both good. We have heard their pizza is good as well, but that gluten thing again.

Now that we have a card we can order online. Unless of course we need another road trip to visit the shiny new mall that has just opened up. It was practically next door to Price Smart so we took a peek inside one of the entrances. It is massive and we have heard it rivals Albrook in Panama City. Couldn’t stay and shop as our groceries would have been melted or cooked. Liquid butter was not an option.

After a full day of driving and shopping, it’s great to come home and be able to go for a sunset beach walk.

Life is good. If we had to be sick, at least we did not freeze!

Cheers

Ruth