An Afternoon along Ensenada’s Southern Retail Corridor
text & photos by connie ellig

To gain a sense of accomplishment – and hopefully answer some of our friends’ questions  – David & I set out to run some errands while researching what has become Ensenada’s southern retail corridor along the Transpeninsular Highway on the rapidly expanding edge of town.

Our first stop was Office Depot in the Centro Comercial Transpeninsular on the corner of Av. Delante and Av. Reforma (Carr. Transpeninsular Ensenada-La Paz). Developed by Grupo Gigante, Office Depot de México, S.A. de C.V., is a joint venture with Office Depot, Inc. (USA). The Ensenada Office Depot’s interior signage is in Spanish, but there are always a few English-speaking clerks who will help locate office supplies and computer products and answer questions. We purchased a ream of bond for our printer, had some documents copied, and sauntered next door to Gigante.

Although Grupo Gigante began opening supermarkets in southern California several years ago, it has been operating in Mexico since 1962 and is the republic’s third largest retailer. In addition to food, apparel and general merchandise, Gigante Supermarkets also accept payments for Mexican phone, water and electric bills if paid in pesos at least five days in advance of the date due. After paying our phone bill in the pharmacy department, I shopped for Spanish olives, Chilean wine, American cheese, and freshly baked Mexican bolillos (rolls) while David strolled over to Mini Detalles to purchase the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Operated by the Elizaola family since 1988, Mini Detalles convenience market features a little bit of everything from both sides of the border – newspapers, snacks, candies, gourmet foods and gifts – as well as beer, wine and liquors including one of Ensenada’s largest selections of premium and designer tequilas.

We drove about a mile south on the Transpeninsular Highway to the second of Ensenada’s two Smart & Finals. Known as the “smaller faster warehouse store” with no membership fee, Smart & Final features quality U.S. and Mexican-made foods, beverages, foodservice items and cooking equipment. There’s fresh produce, beer and wine, frozen foods and large bags of pet food – all easy to find because of the bilingual in-store signage. We purchased a bag of Mexican mesquite natural charcoal, a jug of Ocean Spray cranberry juice and a box of Pillsbury cake mix – all on sale – then continued our foray south on the highway.

We drove another mile, passing Auto Zone, Calimax Supermarket, Waldo’s Dólar Mart and Blockbuster, before reaching the new Home Depot, which has replaced the re-floated container ship, APL Panama, as Ensenada’s latest attraction. Three days after its March 16, 2006 inauguration, The Home Depot’s parking lot was overflowing. The store was packed with local Mexicans and Americans comparing prices and products and making purchases. The bilingual in-store signage made it easy to navigate among the aisles. I was especially delighted by the spacious Garden Center, offering rows and rows of colorful flowers and potted plants, which is quite a novelty here. David was very impressed by the plumbing department which, compared to San Diego Home Depots, provides a greater selection of energy-efficient hot water heaters and other gas-burning devices and accessories that are already converted to use L.P. gas (propane) that is the staple in Mexico.

By the summer of 2006, a Wal-Mart Supercenter, Sam’s Club, 12-screen Cinema Star and 10,000 square meters of retail shop spaces are scheduled to open next to The Home Depot. Across the highway, from north to south, are Costco, Comercial Mexicana, Burger King and Super Ley supermarket, all of which opened within the past two years. Not so coincidentally, this area is also experiencing a housing boom.

I must confess that I am one of the few Ensenadenses that has never been inside Costco since it opened last summer. (It’s my own fault; every time I drove by I realized that I had forgotten to transfer my U.S. Costco membership card to my “Mexico” wallet!) But once through the Costco portals, I recognized the familiar warehouse layout and immediately felt at home, especially after enjoying a few food product samples. The Ensenada Costco offers many of the same items available in San Diego locations as well as an abundance of quality Mexican products. There’s fresh produce and seafood, hot rotisserie chicken, Mexican and American cuts of meat, bakery goods, liquors, wines, frozen foods, paper goods, pet food, appliances, electronics, a pharmacy, tire center and much more. The optical department stocks disposable contact lenses, but fewer types and styles than in San Diego. The photo department has bilingual self-service print kiosks and normally offers one-hour service unless there is a backlog – be sure to inquire first. The outdoor food court features the same great pizza, frozen yogurt and other fast fare; a Costco membership card must be presented before ordering.

In most of the aforementioned stores, prices for imported U.S. products range from a few cents to a few dollars higher than in San Diego. But slightly higher prices are more than balanced out by the savings in gas and tolls of a trip across the border. And that translates to more time to experience and enjoy Baja!

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