The Last 7 Years...
Seven years ago the closest thing to a supermarket in Cabo San Lucas was Aramburo, downtown, or several blocks off the main drag was Diana’s. Then, seven years ago Soriana opened their doors to thousands of residents who had been waiting patiently, or not so patiently, for some touch of real shopping to reach Cabo.
The doors opened, the throngs descended, shelves were stripped faster than they could be restocked. For at least two weeks it was almost impossible to find a parking spot in the lot.
Three weeks later, Costco opened with and invitational cocktail party on Friday evening and an open house breakfast the following morning. Life had changed in Cabo San Lucas. No longer was it necessary to make the long trip to La Paz for everyday necessities.
This was but the beginning. In December, just a few blocks from Soriana, CCC opened its new upscale supermarket. All of this was closely followed by City Club, Office Depot, Home Depot, Office Max and Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club.
Similar changes were happening at the other end of the tourist corridor in the town of San Jose Del Cabo.
And now, seven years later, on the same site as the pioneer Soriana is the Plaza Sendero. Soriana serves as an anchor store at one end of this full service mall and Cineapolis, a multiplex state of the art cinema anchors the mall at the other end. Most movies at Cinepolis are in English with Spanish subtitles and are in the theater within a week or two of opening in the United States. When the ads say, “opening everywhere” this means at Cinepolis Sendero also.
This is not a tourist mall but a mall that serves the residents and visitors to Cabo with real merchandise at non tourist prices. Between the anchors, more stores are opening every week. Presently the mall boasts a full service travel agency at the entrance to Soriana, a large fabric store with a complete selection for any sewing needs, commercial or home. There is an incredible food court offering Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and American selections.
A beautiful nursery will care for children while their parents shop for 50 pesos an hour. People mover ramps and elevators make shopping easily accessible to the handicapped. Can shopping get any better than this?
Do not be fooled by Plaza Sendero from the outside. It appears to be just a strip mall but appearances are deceiving. Park the car in the very ample parking lot or in the underground garage at the Cinepolis end and take a stroll through the beautiful interior.
Unfamiliar with Cabo San Lucas? Home Depot, Costco, Office Max, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club are on the Cabo Corridor, all with in 6 miles from the center of town. City Club is downtown, just behind the Chevrolet dealership. Office Depot is on the bordo, the road that circles the outside of Cabo proper and Plaza Sendero is on the road to Todos Santos, just past the CFE (the electric company) on the right hand side of the highway, approximately 3 miles from the town center.
Shopping in these very convenient stores may not be what the typical visitor to Cabo comes looking for…….but if one is in a timeshare and cooking their own meals or need some accessories for a laptop, digital camera or camcorder, or investigating the market for Cabo San Lucas Real Estate, it is handy to know that it all can be had, just minutes away from the beach chair on Medano Beach or the table at the poolside restaurant or your retirement of second home in this wonderful paradise called Cabo San Lucas.