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El Gato

Jan 24, 2012, 8:41 AM

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Sam's Club

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It was just announced that in the next few months we are having a Sam's Club coming to town. Are the Mexican Sam's Club like the USA - same products, etc.? Not sure what to expect. Super Ley (connected to Safeway) is very different from Safeway in US in products, for the most part.) Tks.
"The World After WW1 - 1918 - 1921" at amazon.com, Barnes & Nobel - letters written at the end of WWI

johanson

Jan 24, 2012, 9:25 AM

Post #2 of 17 (5901 views)

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Re: [El Gato] Sam's Club

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El Gato: Which town? I will be shot for saying this by many, but I hope you are from the Lake Chapala area.

Rolly

Jan 24, 2012, 9:28 AM

Post #3 of 17 (5896 views)

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Re: [El Gato] Sam's Club

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There are two Sam's in my area. I've been going there for years, There are many of the same products as in the USA. There are also many items tailored for the Mexican shopper.
Your membership card is accepted in both countries.

Rolly Pirate

El Gato

Jan 24, 2012, 9:31 AM

Post #4 of 17 (5893 views)

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Re: [johanson] Sam's Club

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Sorry, we are up on the north end of the Sea of Cortez in a little fishing village, Puerto Penasco, Sonora. Word is out that an announcement is going to made shortly that building is going to commence on a Home Cruise Port. We are about an hour south of the Arizona border - an easy drive from Phoenix and Tucson area. We have an International airport - but no flights other then private or charter, at the moment.
"The World After WW1 - 1918 - 1921" at amazon.com, Barnes & Nobel - letters written at the end of WWI

whynotwrite

Jan 24, 2012, 11:40 AM

Post #5 of 17 (5855 views)

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Re: [El Gato] Sam's Club

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"We are about an hour south of the Arizona border " So if the Sam´s coming to your town does not carry what you want this means you will have to drive an hour or so to one that does?

El Gato

Jan 24, 2012, 11:55 AM

Post #6 of 17 (5846 views)

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Re: [whynotwrite] Sam's Club

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No, the nearest Sam's Club would be in the Metro Phoenix area - about a 3 to 4 hour drive. We've gotten so spoiled with our little town that we haven't been up to Phoenix since a year ago beginning of November. We were going to stay over night but decided the heck with it and made the drive quickly to beat the border closing (closed between midnight and 6am). We have a lot of dirt roads, few people are in a big hurry, they stop their car in the middle of the street to talk to friends and no one minds. You go to the market and some of the time come out to find your car has been washed and the guy is hoping for a dollar, which he gets. If I can't figure out a Spanish word we use charades to good effect.

We have fantastic tide pools and desert dunes. Most of the year the sea is warm water, with hardly a ripple - great for kids to play in as very safe. Everyone smiles and stops to talk and/or help if it is needed.

As you can see, completely spoiled. But sometimes do miss some of the things at Stateside grocery stores. But we do eat a lot more healthfully here and a lot cheaper. Veggies and fruit are so much better and cheaper. Asparagus, in season, is $1 US or ten pesos and is the best you will ever eat. As I'm waiting at a red light (we do have a few of those) some one comes up to the car window selling them.

Gosh, it really sounds as if we don't need a Sam's Club.
"The World After WW1 - 1918 - 1921" at amazon.com, Barnes & Nobel - letters written at the end of WWI

Moisheh

Jan 26, 2012, 7:01 AM

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Moisheh

Jan 26, 2012, 7:06 AM

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Re: [El Gato] Sam's Club

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I doubt you will see a Sam's anytime soon. You do not have even a WalMart and normally Sam's are built in communities with a Wal Mart. Then consider the poor economic conditions in PP. You are really hurting. My Mexican friends call it Muerto Penasco. Maybe when the US economy revives PP will grow again. It is a nice spot!

El Gato

Jan 26, 2012, 7:29 AM

Post #9 of 17 (5670 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Sam's Club

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In Reply To

I doubt you will see a Sam's Club anytime soon. You do not even have a WalMart! It is rare to see a Sam's in a small community with no Wal Mart, Then one has to consider the economic downturn in Penasco. Busines in Penasco is suffering. My Mexican friends call it Muerto Penasco! On the bright side: PP is a nice spot and one day when the US economy returns thoise empty condos will be occupied. If you had a Santa Fe market that would be an improvement. The Ley's sucks and the Bodega Aurereo is no big deal.

"The World After WW1 - 1918 - 1921" at amazon.com, Barnes & Nobel - letters written at the end of WWI

mazbook1

Jan 26, 2012, 10:53 AM

Post #10 of 17 (5616 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Sam's Club

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Moisheh, "You do not have even a WalMart and normally Sam's are built in communities with a Wal Mart." That's just not so! Mazatlán had a Sam's Club many, many years before a Wal-Mart was built and opened.

Moisheh

Jan 26, 2012, 11:21 AM

Post #11 of 17 (5605 views)

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Re: [mazbook1] Sam's Club

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Yes but Maz has a much larger population than PP. I did say normally not always.

Moisheh

whynotwrite

Jan 26, 2012, 12:07 PM

Post #12 of 17 (5586 views)

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Re: [mazbook1] Sam's Club

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It is just Moisheh talking and it is his opinoin,. As usual.

sioux4noff

Jan 31, 2012, 9:24 PM

Post #13 of 17 (5267 views)

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Re: [whynotwrite] Sam's Club

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Puerto Vallarta had Sams before Walmart as well.

El Gato

Feb 1, 2012, 6:36 AM

Post #14 of 17 (5228 views)

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Re: [El Gato] Sam's Club

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We already have a Bodega Aurereo and a Santa Fe as well as Super Ley. An Auto Zone is in progress and Mayor's office said Sam's Club would begin construction in a few month. The Conventiion Center is already under construction. Lately things seems to be picking up here. More people here this winter then past few winters (of course weather has been lovely for the most part). Penasco is far from muerto. Also the cut off road from the Coastal Highway (coming in from California areas) to Sandy Beach is now paved. Our malacon is finished and a great place to stroll around eating an ice cream cone. Roads in old port are still being improved but one of these days will actually be finished. Now if we can actually get some flights into our International Airport!
"The World After WW1 - 1918 - 1921" at amazon.com, Barnes & Nobel - letters written at the end of WWI

Moisheh

Feb 1, 2012, 6:27 PM

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Re: [whynotwrite] Sam's Club

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If you eliminated all opinions there would be no forum. Awhile back you posted that Google Translate does a good job. IMHO it does not . Was your statement fact or opinion? Here is my opinion: Looking at your posts for the last year half or more are either sarcastic or almost flaming. You seem to always start a "fight". I don't know who you are but being married to a Mexican does not make you an expert. I have been a member of this forum almost since it began but do not post often so I don't see why you jumped on me. I have learned a lot on this forum but looking at your posts I really do not see much of value. Just my opinion!

Moisheh

GringoCArlos

Feb 2, 2012, 8:44 AM

Post #16 of 17 (5090 views)

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Re: [El Gato] Sam's Club

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I've been in a Sam's Club exactly three times in my life so I'm no expert on Sam's. Once in the US I tagged along with a friend to see what it was, and twice here in Mexico. First visit here, bought a refrigerator. Didn't see much else I was interested in. During my second visit, I asked for and received a refund of the membership fee I had paid. Never again. And, for what it's worth, there has been a Sam's Club here locally for years, but no signs yet of a Wal-Mart.

Can someone explain the attraction to me? Is it the ability to buy familiar "US stuff" that is probably made in China? Is it some psychological need to buy 48 rolls of T.P. at a time? Or maybe the feeling that by paying (what, like 600 pesos?), for an annual "membership" makes one feel warm and fuzzy as part of an exclusive club, or not having to shop and rub elbows with the hoi-polloi? Is it the desire to stand in a typical MX supermarket line of 5-15 people, except that everyone's cart in Sam's Club seemed to be overflowing, and that everyone brought their own grocery bags with them for smaller things? I don't get it.

It can't be prices that are much, much lower. I buy some of my groceries and paper goods in a local wholesale place with prices that are equivalent to those I saw at Sam's, and everything they sell is from here in Mexico instead of the US or China. No lines, and it's much faster than local retail supermarkets. Their prices are about 1/2 of the big supermarkets here, for 1 unit, a pack of 10, or by the case. Even if Sam's Club prices are slightly less, why would I stand in a line at Sam's for 30-45 minutes to save 10 pesos on a 1000-2000 peso purchase?

morgaine7

Feb 2, 2012, 10:33 AM

Post #17 of 17 (5062 views)

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Re: [GringoCArlos] Sam's Club

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You're doing better than I am. I've been to Sam's twice and WalMart maybe 4-5 times since they opened here a little over three years ago, usually while tagging along with friends. In my case it's a combination of location and habit. I already belonged to City Club, which is more convenient and less expensive to join. Over five years, I've found that City Club membership is worthwhile for discounts on items I buy there, and I didn't see that Sam's offered anything better. Don't know about the "hoi polloi" factor. It seems that more expats shop at Sam's than at City Club, but maybe it's because the majority of expats live in that end of town.